' 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


THE  MACMILLAN  COMPANY 

NEW  YORK  • BOSTON  • CHICAGO  • DALLAS 
ATLANTA  • SAN  FRANCISCO 

MACMILLAN  & CO.,  Limited 

LONDON  • BOMBAY  • CALCUTTA 
MELBOURNE 

THE  MACMILLAN  CO.  OF  CANADA,  Ltd. 

TORONTO 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2015 


https://archive.org/details/athensitsmonumenOOwell 


Fig.  i.  — Southeast  Athens,  from  the  east  end  of  the  Acropolis. 

To  the  right  are  the  Olympieum  and  the  Arch  of  Hadrian,  in  the  middle  the  Stadium,  and  in  the  background  Mt.  Hymettus. 


ATHENS 

AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


BY 

CHARLES  HEALD  WELLER 

THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  IOWA 


i/mol  ybvoiro  . . . ’A drjvrjcn.  /cat  f^aat  /cat  tov  (Mov  airoXiireiv 
(. May  it  be  my  lot  . . . in  Athens  to  live  and  there  my  life  to  end ) 

— Alciphron,  iii,  51,  4. 


THE  MACMILLAN  COMPANY 

1913 


All  rights  reserved 


Copyright,  1913, 

By  THE  MACMILLAN  COMPANY. 


Set  up  and  electrotyped.  Published  November,  1913. 


Norbjoob  ^ress 

J.  S.  Cushing  Co.  — Berwick  & Smith  Co. 
Norwood,  Mass.,  U.S.A. 


TTj  efJLT)  yWCLlKl 


PREFACE 


This  book  is  designed  to  provide  a brief  and  untechnical 
account  of  the  topography  and  monuments  of  ancient 
Athens  for  the  general  reader  and  the  traveler,  as  well  as 
an  introduction  to  the  subject  for  the  student  of  archaeology 
and  history  ; a few  ideas  that  are  new  and  worthy  may 
perhaps  be  found  by  the  specialist.  In  view  of  the  wealth 
of  material  available,  the  maintenance  of  a proper  balance 
and  perspective  is  not  easy  ; particularly  strong  is  the 
temptation  to  allow  recent  discoveries  to  usurp  more  than 
their  just  share  of  attention.  A straight  course  between 
doubt  and  dogmatism  is  also  difficult  to  keep.  Notwith- 
standing the  effort  to  avoid  confusion  of  fact  and  theory, 
and  to  present,  so  far  as  possible,  the  grounds  for  opinions 
expressed,  the  form  of  statement  may  now  and  then  seem 
more  positive  than  is  justifiable.  If,  on  the  other  hand, 
the  use  of  “ probably  ” and  “ perhaps  ” appears  frequent, 
the  point  may  be  urged  that  many  problems  are  still  far 
from  a solution ; when  evidence  is  scanty,  doubt  is  more 
reasonable  than  dogmatism. 

The  topographical  treatment  adopted  by  Pausanias  is  so 
convenient  and  logical  that  it  has  seemed  preferable  to  the 
historical  order.  Pausanias  and  other  sources  are  quoted 
freely ; the  references,  save  in  the  case  of  direct  quota- 
tions, could  not  be  given  without  encumbering  the  pages. 
If  the  exigencies  of  space  have  also  made  imperative  the 
omission  of  the  names  of  modern  scholars,  appreciation 
of  the  obligation  imposed  by  their  labors  is  no  less  keen. 
My  constant  indebtedness  to  the  works  mentioned  in 
the  bibliography  at  the  end  of  the  book,  particularly  to 


Vll 


vm 


PREFACE 


Dr.  Judeich’s  Topographie  von  Athen , will  be  manifest  to  all 
who  are  acquainted  with  the  literature  of  the  subject.  The 
general  plan  of  the  book  was  suggested  by  Miss  Harrison’s 
Mythology  and  Monuments  of  Ancient  Athens ; had  she 
decided  to  revise  her  volume,  this  book  would  probably 
never  have  been  written.  In  these  days  one  can  hardly 
write  about  Athens  without  an  expression  of  gratitude  to 
Dr.  Wilhelm  Dorpfeld,  long  the  secretary  of  the  German 
Institute  there,  whose  genius  has  illumined  many  a dark 
corner  of  the  ancient  city,  and  whose  personality  has  been 
an  inspiration. 

The  list  of  those  who  gave  me  aid  and  encouragement 
in  completing  this  task  is  long.  I am  under  special  obli- 
gation to  the  American  editor  of  this  series  of  Handbooks 
for  reading  the  manuscript  and  offering  suggestions ; to 
Professor  David  M.  Robinson,  of  Johns  Hopkins  Univer- 
sity, for  reading  both  manuscript  and  proof ; to  Professor 
Frank  B.  Tarbell,  of  the  University  of  Chicago,  and  Mr. 
Lacey  D.  Caskey,  of  the  Museum  of  Fine  Arts  in  Boston, 
for  reading  a large  part  of  the  manuscript  and  for  giv- 
ing valuable  suggestions.  Deeply  appreciating  the  kindly 
assistance  of  these  scholars,  I absolve  them  from  respon- 
sibility for  such  errors  and  infelicities  as  still  remain.  The 
sources  of  the  illustrations  used  in  the  book  are  indicated 
in  the  list  at  the  beginning  of  the  volume.  I can  here 
only  express  in  general  terms  my  thanks  to  those  who 
have  furnished  photographs,  especially  to  Mr.  Ashton 
Sanborn  and  Mr.  Carl  W.  Blegen  for  securing  and  sending 
photographs  from  Athens.  Finally,  I desire  to  express 
my  thanks  to  my  colleague,  Mr.  Robert  B.  Dale,  who  made 
many  of  the  drawings. 

CHARLES  HEALD  WELLER. 

Iowa  City, 

June  i,  1913. 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 

Introduction i 

CHAPTER 

I.  Situation  and  General  Aspect;  the  Demes  . . 13 

II.  Historical  Sketch 29 

III.  Walls  and  Gates 48 

IV.  The  Hellenic  Agora 75 

V.  The  Hellenistic  and  Roman  Agora  and  Other 

Sites 130 

VI.  Southeast  Athens 161 

VII.  The  South  Slope  of  the  Acropolis  . . . 180 

VIII.  The  Acropolis 224 

IX.  The  Courts  and  the  Suburbs 357 

X.  Peiraeus  and  the  Ports 383 

BIBLIOGRAPHY ’403 

INDEX 407 


IX 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


FIGURE 

1.  Southeast  Athens,  from  the  east  end  of  the  Acropolis.  (Photo- 

graph of  Simiriottis.)  ...  ...  Frontispiece 

PAGE 

2.  Cyclopean  wall  belonging  to  the  Pelargicum,  at  the  east  end  of 

the  Acropolis.  (Photograph  of  the  German  Institute.)  . 8 

3.  Polygonal  wall  in  the  west  ascent  to  the  Acropolis.  (Photograph 

of  the  German  Institute.)  .......  8 

4.  Olympieum  and  south  wall  of  its  precinct.  (Photograph  of 

C.  H.  W.) 9 

5.  Method  of  joining  the  drums  of  a column.  (Drawing  by  R.  B.  D.)  10 

6.  Various  styles  of  cramps  used  in  uniting  the  blocks  of  a wall. 

(Drawing  by  R.  B.  D.) 11 

7.  The  “orders”  of  Greek  architecture.  (Statham,  Architecture  for 

General  Readers , Fig.  64.)  . . . . . . .11 

8.  Panoramic  view  of  Athens,  from  the  Hill  of  the  Nymphs.  (Pho- 

tograph of  Rhomai'des.)  .......  12 

9.  Map  of  the  Athenian  plain.  (Drawing  by  R.  B.  D.,  after  Curtius, 

Stadtgeschichte  von  Athen,  PI.  1.)  . . . . . 14 

10.  Mt.  Pentelicus  in  winter,  from  the  American  School.  (Photo- 

graph of  the  American  School.)  ......  15 

11.  Mt.  Lycabettus,  from  the  Acropolis.  (Photograph  of  John 

Lodge.) 16 

12.  Monument  of  Philopappus,  on  the  summit  of  the  Hill  of  the 

Muses.  (Photograph  of  Simiriottis.)  .....  17 

13.  Geological  formation  of  the  hills  of  Athens.  (Drawing  by  R.  B. 

D. ,  after  Judeich,  Topographie  von  Athen , Fig.  7.)  . . 18 

14.  Reconstruction  of  a house  at  Priene,  in  Asia  Minor.  (After 

Wiegand  and  Schrader,  Priene , Fig.  299.)  ....  22 

15.  Seats  hewn  in  the  rock  on  the  side  of  the  Hill  of  the  Muses. 

(Photograph  of  C.  H.  W.)  .......  23 

16.  The  so-called  Prison  of  Socrates,  a part  of  an  ancient  dwell- 

ing. (Photograph  of  Neue  Photographische  Gesellschaft.)  24 


xi 


xii  ILLUSTRATIONS 

FIGURE  PAGE 

17.  Boundary  stone  of  the  deme  of  Cerameicus,  near  the  Dipylum. 

(Photograph  of  the  German  Institute.)  .....  27 

18.  The  situation  of  ancient  sanctuaries,  according  to  Thucydides. 

(Drawing  by  R.  B.  D.)  ........  31 

19.  Building  of  the  wall  of  the  Pelargicum ; vase  painting.  (Hauser, 

Strena  Helbigiana,  p.  116.)  .......  48 

20.  Map  of  the  Pelargicum  and  Enneapylum.  (Drawing  by  R.  B.  D.)  49 

21.  Portion  of  the  wall  of  the  Pelargicum  at  the  west  end  of  the 

Acropolis.  (Photograph  of  C.  H.  W.) 50 

22.  Map  of  the  walls  of  Athens.  (Drawing  by  R.  B.  D.,  after  Judeich, 

Topographie  von  Athen , Fig.  9.)  . . . . .54 

23.  Arch  of  Hadrian,  from  the  east.  (Photograph  of  C.  H.  W.)  . 55 

24.  Drums  of  columns  of  the  old  Parthenon  built  into  the  north  wall 

of  the  Acropolis.  (Photograph  of  C.  H.  W.)  ...  57 

25.  Relief  in  the  front  of  the  Roman  stage  of  the  Dionysiac  theater. 

(Photograph  of  C.  H.  W.)  .......  58 

26.  Plan  of  the  Dipylum  and  adjacent  walls.  (Drawing  by  R.  B.  D., 

after  Noack,  Athenische  Mittheilungen , 32  [1907],  PI.  10.)  . 59 

27.  Fragment  of  the  Themistoclean  wall,  near  the  Dipylum.  (Photo- 

graph of  C.  H.  W.) 60 

28.  Grave  stele  from  beneath  the  Themistoclean  wall.  (Photograph 

of  the  German  Institute.)  .......  61 

29.  Looking  northwest  from  the  Sacred  Gate.  (Photograph  of  John 

Lodge.)  62 

30.  Front  of  the  Dipylum,  with  quadriga  base  on  the  left.  (Photo- 

graph of  C.  H.  W.) 64 

31.  Altar  dedicated  to  Zeus,  Hermes,  and  Acamas.  (Photograph  of 

C.  H.  W.) 65 

32.  Section  of  the  Peiraic  wall  about  Acte  and  one  of  the  towers, 

from  within.  (Photograph  of  the  American  School.)  . . 67 

33.  Exterior  of  one  of  the  towers  of  the  wall  about  Acte.  (Photo- 

graph of  C.  H.  W.) . .68 

34.  East  tower  of  Asty  Gate.  (Photograph  of  C.  H.  W.)  ...  69 

35.  West  tower  of  Asty  Gate.  (Photograph  of  C.  H.  W.)  . . 69 

36.  Peiraic  wall  and  gate  near  juncture  of  the  North  Long  Wall. 

(Photograph  of  C.  H.  W.) 70 

37.  Towers  and  wall  on  Eetioneia.  (Photograph  of  C.  H.  W.)  . 70 


ILLUSTRATIONS  xiii 

FIGURE  PAGE 

38.  Map  of  the  Long  Walls.  (Drawing  by  R.  B.  D.,  after  Judeich, 

Topographie  von  Athen,  Fig.  16.)  ......  71 

39.  Reconstruction  of  gallery  of  the  walls  of  Athens.  (Caskey, 

American  Jozirnal  of  Archaeology,  14  [1910],  PI.  6.)  . .73 

40.  Head  of  Iacchus,  by  Praxiteles.  (Restored  by  Zumbusch, 

Vienna;  Svoronos,  Ephemeris  Archaiologike , 1911,  PI.  3.)  . 78 

41.  Vase  painting  with  the  face  of  Akratos.  (Murray,  Journal  of 

Hellenic  Studies , 7 [1886],  PI.  62.) 81 

42.  Map  of  excavations  south  of  Areopagus.  (Harrison,  Primitive 

Athens , Fig.  35.)  .........  84 

43.  View  of  excavations  south  of  Areopagus.  (Photograph  of  the 

American  School.)  ........  85 

44.  Site  of  the  Hellenic  Agora,  in  its  present  State.  (Photograph  of 

C.  H.  W.) 87 

45.  Foundations  excavated  along  the  west  side  of  the  Agora.  (Photo- 

graph of  C.  H.  W.)  ........  88 

46.  Map  of  the  Hellenic  Agora.  (Drawing  by  R.  B.  D.)  ...  90 

47.  Copy  of  Eirene  and  Plutus,  by  Cephisodotus.  (Photograph  of  a 

cast  in  the  Metropolitan  Museum,  New  York.)  . . . 100 

48.  Eirene.  (Photograph  of  the  Metropolitan  Museum,  New  York.)  101 

49.  Plutus  ; a copy  found  in  Peiraeus.  (Photograph  of  Simiriottis.)  101 

50.  Demosthenes  ; from  a cast  after  the  Vatican  copy,  restored  with 

clasped  hands  instead  of  scroll.  (Loewy,  Die  Griechische 
Plastik,  II,  Fig.  265a ; Photograph  of  Professor  Loewy.)  . 102 

51.  Borghese  Ares.  (Photograph.)  .......  104 

52.  Theseus,  commonly  known  as  “ Apollo  of  the  Omphalos.” 

(Photograph ; identification  of  Professor  Svoronos,  4>u>$  ewi 
too  HapdevQvos,  p.  232.)  ........  104 

53.  Tyrannicides,  as  blazon  on  Athena’s  shield  on  Panathenaic  vase. 

(Baumeister,  Denkmaler,  Fig.  1347.)  .....  106 

54.  Tyrannicides.  (Photograph.)  .......  107 

55.  Tyrannicides  ; the  Naples  group  restored  and  corrected.  (Res- 

toration by  E.  Kircheisen,  after  design  of  P.  J.  Meier ; pho- 
tograph of  Professor  Meier.)  ......  108 

56.  Callirrhoe  and  rock  ridge  in  the  bed  of  the  Ilissus.  (Photograph 

of  C.  H.  W.) 109 

57.  Plan  of  Enneacrunus  and  adjacent  sites,  restored.  (Drawing  by 

R.  B.  D.,  after  Graber,  Athenische  Mittheilungen , 30  [1905], 

PI.  2.) 


110 


XIV 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


FIGURE  PAGE 

58.  Callirrhoe-Enneacrunus ; vase  painting.  {Antike  Denkmaler,  II, 

PI.  19.) Ill 

59.  Pnyx,  at  the  left,  and  Hill  of  the  Nymphs,  at  the  right,  as  seen 

from  the  Areopagus.  (Photograph  of  the  American 
School.)  ..........  112 

60.  Plan  of  the  Pnyx.  (After  Judeich,  Topographie  von  Athen , Fig. 


44,  with  additions  from  Praktika,  1910,  p.  128,  Fig.  1.)  . 113 

61.  Orators’  platform  on  the  Pnyx;  in  the  rear  the  Acropolis.  (Pho- 

tograph of  Simiriottis.) 114 

62.  Persephone,  Triptolemus,  and  Demeter;  vase  painting.  (Furt- 

w'angler  and  Reichhold,  Griechische  Vasenmalerei,  PI.  106.)  . 116 

63.  Hephaesteum,  from  the  northeast.  (Photograph.)  . . . 118 

64.  Southeast  corner  of  the  Hephaesteum,  showing  four  of  the  sculp- 

tured metopes.  (Photograph  of  the  American  School.)  . 120 


65.  Copy  of  Athena  Hephaestia,  by  Alcamenes.  (Reisch ,Jahreshefte 

des  osterreichischen  archaologischen  Institutes , 1 [1898],  PI.  3.)  . 122 

66.  Plan  of  the  Stoa  of  Attalus.  (Judeich,  Topographie  von  Athen , 

Fig.  39.) 132 

67.  South  end  of  the  Stoa  of  Attalus.  (Photograph  of  C.  H.  W.)  . 133 

68.  North  end  of  the  Stoa  of  Attalus.  (Photograph  of  C.  H.  W.)  . 133 

69.  Stoa  of  Attalus,  looking  south.  (Photograph  of  C.  H.  W.)  . 134 

70.  Plan  of  the  excavated  portion  of  the  Stoa  of  the  Giants.  (After 

Judeich,  Topographie  von  Athen , Fig.  36.)  ....  135 

71.  Remains  of  the  Stoa  of  the  Giants,  from  the  northwest.  (Photo- 

graph of  C.  H.  W.) 135 

72.  East  figure  of  the  Stoa  of  the  Giants.  (Photograph  of  C.  H.  W.)  136 

73.  Plan  of  the  Market  of  Caesar  and  Augustus ; at  the  right  the 

Tower  of  the  Winds  and  the  Agoranomium.  (After  Judeich, 
Topographie  von  Athen , Fig.  40.)  ......  137 

74.  Gate  of  Athena  Archegetis,  or  propylum  of  the  Market  of 

Caesar  and  Augustus.  (Photograph  of  Neue  Photograph- 
ische  Gesellschaft.)  ........  138 

75.  East  propylum  of  the  Market  of  Caesar  and  Augustus,  from  the 

west.  (Photograph.) 140 

76.  Steps  and  arches  belonging  to  the  Roman  “ Agoranomium.” 

(Photograph  of  C.  H.  W.) 141 

77.  Tower  of  the  Winds,  or  Horologium,  of  Andronicus  Cyrrhestes. 

(Photograph  of  C.  H.  W.) 


142 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


xv 


FIGURE  PAGE 

78.  Reliefs  representing  the  Winds  Caecias,  Boreas,  Sciron,  and 

Zephyrus,  on  the  Horologium.  (Photograph  of  Simiriottis.)  143 

79.  Elevation  and  section  of  the  Tower  of  the  Winds,  restored. 

(Baumeister,  Denkmaler , Figs.  2366,  2367.)  ....  145 

80.  Plan  of  the  library  of  Hadrian.  (Judeich,  Topographie  von  Athen, 

Fig.  42.) 146 

81.  West  end  of  the  library  of  Hadrian.  (Photograph  of  Neue  Pho- 

tographische  Gesellschaft.)  .......  147 

82.  East  end  of  the  library  of  Hadrian.  (Photograph  of  C.  H.  W.)  . 147 

83.  Interior  of  the  library  of  Hadrian.  (Photograph  of  John  Lodge.)  148 

84.  Theseus,  Athena,  and  Amphitrite,  beneath  the  sea;  vase  paint- 

ing by  Euphronius.  (Furtwangler  and  Reichhold,  Griech- 
ische  Vasenmalerei , PI.  5.)  . . . . . . .154 

85.  Rape  of  the  daughters  of  Leucippus,  above ; the  garden  of  the 

Hesperides,  below ; vase  painting  by  Meidias.  (Furtwangler 
and  Reichhold,  Griechische  Vasenmalerei , PI.  8.)  . . . 156 

86.  Map  of  Southeast  Athens.  (Drawing  by  R.  B.  D.,  after  Judeich, 

Topographie  von  Athen , PI.  1.)  .....  160 

87.  Temple  of  Olympian  Zeus,  or  Olympieum,  from  the  northeast. 

(Photograph  of  Neue  Photographische  Gesellschaft.)  . . 161 

88.  Plan  of  the  Olympieum.  (Judeich,  Topographie  von  Athen , 

Fig.  43.) 164 

89.  Upper  part  of  a fallen  column  of  the  Olympieum.  (Photograph 

of  a member  of  the  American  School.)  ....  165 

90.  Statue  of  Olympian  Zeus  ; Athenian  coin.  (Imhoof-Blumer  and 

Gardner,  Journal  of  Hellenic  Studies , 8 [1887],  PI.  76,  BB  iv.)  166 

91.  Fortune  of  Antioch,  by  Eutychides.  (Photograph  of  Alinari.)  . 166 

92.  Arch  of  Hadrian,  from  the  west.  (Photograph  of  Neue  Photo- 

graphische Gesellschaft.)  .......  167 

93.  Coping  of  the  altar  of  the  Pythium.  (Photograph  of  the  Ameri- 

can School.)  ..........  169 

94  “Venus  Genetrix,”  supposed  to  be  a copy  of  the  Aphrodite  of 

the  Gardens,  by  Alcamenes.  (Photograph.)  . . . 171 

95.  Stadium,  reconstructed.  (Photograph  of  Neue  Photographische 

Gesellschaft.)  . . 176 

96.  View  across  the  Stadium,  showing  herms  and  the  tunnel. 

(Photograph  of  C.  H.  W.) 177 

97.  Ionic  temple  on  the  Ilissus.  (Stuart  and  Revett,  Antiquities  of 

Athens , I,  PI.  7.) 178 


XVI 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


FIGURE 

98.  Choregic  Monument  of  Lysicrates.  (Photograph  of  C.  H.  W.) 

99.  Section  of  the  frieze  of  the  Monument  of  Lysicrates.  (Springer- 

Michaelis,  Kunstgeschichte,  I,  Fig.  537a.)  . 

100.  Monument  of  Lysicrates,  built  into  the  “ Hospitium  of  the 

Capuchins.”  (Stuart  and  Revett,  Antiquities  of  Athens , I, 
PI.  23.) 

101.  Satyr  of  Praxiteles — the  “ Marble  Faun.”  (Photograph.) 

102.  Dionysus  and  the  Satyr,  by  Praxiteles,  restored.  (Evelyn- 

White,  Journal  of  Hellenic  Studies , 29  [1909],  Fig.  2.) 

103.  Plan  of  the  precinct  of  Dionysus,  and  Dionysiac  theater,  re- 

stored. (Carroll,  The  Attica  of  P ausanias,  Fig.  2,  after 
Dorpfeld  and  Reisch,  Das  Griechische  Theater,  PI.  2.) 

104.  Hephaestus  conducted  back  to  Olympus  by  Dionysus;  vase 

painting.  (Furtwangler  and  Reichhold,  Griechische  Vasen- 
malerei , PI.  29.)  ......... 

105A.  Theseus  deserting  Ariadne  ; Pompeian  wall  painting.  (Pho- 
tograph of  Sommer.) 

105B.  Dionysus  coming  to  the  rescue  of  Ariadne ; Pompeian  wall 
painting.  (Photograph  of  Sommer.)  . ...  . 

106.  Foundations  of  the  temples  of  Dionysus.  (Photograph  of 

C.  H.  W.) 

107.  Scene-buildings  and  orchestra  of  the  Dionysiac  theater.  (Dorp- 

feld and  Reisch,  Das  Griechische  Theater,  PI.  3.)  . 

108.  Theater  and  precinct  of  Dionysus,  as  seen  from  the  Acropolis. 

(Photograph  of  the  American  School.)  .... 

109.  Section  through  canal,  corridor,  and  staircase  of  the  theater. 

(Drawing  by  R.  B.  D.,  after  Dorpfeld  and  Reisch,  Das 
Griechische  Theater,  Figs.  12  and  13.)  ..... 

110.  Dionysiac  theater,  from  the  east.  (Photograph  of  Neue  Photo- 

graphische  Gesellschaft.) 

111.  Seat  of  honor  for  the  priest  of  Dionysus  Eleuthereus.  (Pho- 

tograph of  Simiriottis.)  ....... 

112.  Portion  of  the  front  of  the  stage  of  Phaedrus.  (Photograph  of 

Neue  Photographische  Gesellschaft.)  ..... 

113.  Choregic  columns  and  the  cave  of  Thrasyllus ; looking  up  from 

the  theater.  (Photograph  of  C.  H.  W.)  . . . 

114.  Monument  of  Thrasyllus  at  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  cen- 

tury. (Stuart  and  Revett,  Antiquities  of  Athens,  II,  PI.  37.) 


PAGE 

181 

182 

183 

184 

185 

186 

187 

188 

189 

190 

191 

193 

194 

195 

196 
199 
202 
203 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


XVII 


FIGURE  PAGE 

115.  Plan  of  the  Asclepieum.  (Allen  and  Caskey,  American  Journal 

of  Archaeology,  15  [1911],  PI.  1.) 205 

116.  East  end  of  the  Asclepieum.  (Photograph  of  C.  H.  W.)  . . 207 

117.  Plan  of  the  east  stoa  of  the  Asclepieum,  restored.  (Allen  and 

Caskey,  American  Journal  of  Archaeology,  15  [1911],  PI.  3.)  207 

118.  South  elevation  of  the  east  stoa  of  the  Asclepieum,  restored. 

(Allen  and  Caskey,  American  Journal  of  Archaeology, 


15  [1911],  PI.  4.) 208 

119.  Pit  in  the  east  stoa.  (Photograph  of  C.  H.  W.)  . . . 208 

120.  East  stoa  of  the  Asclepieum,  from  the  east.  (Photograph  of 

C.  H.  W.)  . . . . 209 


121.  Modern  shrine  in  the  cave  of  the  spring  of  the  Asclepieum. 

(Flashlight  photograph  of  C.  H.  W.)  .....  210 

122.  Votive  offerings  dedicated  in  the  precinct  of  Asclepius.  (Svo- 

ronos,  Das  Athener  Nationalmuseum,  Pis.  164  and  237.)  . 212 

123.  Relief  representing  Asclepius,  his  daughter  Hygieia,  and  sev- 

eral adorants.  (Photograph  of  Simiriottis.)  . . . 213 

124.  Stoa  of  Eumenes  and  other  buildings.  (Photograph  of  Alinari.)  214 

125.  Foundation  of  the  choregic  Monument  of  Nicias.  (Photograph 

of  the  American  School.) 215 

126.  Plan  of  the  east  end  of  the  Stoa  of  Eumenes  and  of  the  cho- 

regic Monument  of  Nicias.  (Dinsmoor,  American  Journal 
of  Archaeology,  14  [1910],  Fig.  11.)  .....  216 

127.  Beule  Gate,  at  the  entrance  to  the  Acropolis,  including  remains 

of  the  Monument  of  Nicias.  (Photograph  of  the  American 
School.) 217 

128.  Odeum,  or  Music  Hall,  of  Herodes  Atticus,  from  the  southwest. 

(Photograph  of  Neue  Photographische  Gesellschaft.)  . 218 

129.  Plan  of  the  Odeum  of  Herodes  Atticus.  (Versakis,  Archaiolo- 

gike  Ephemeris , 1912,  PI.  4.)  ......  218 

130.  Interior  of  the  Odeum  of  Herodes  Atticus.  (Photograph  of 

John  Lodge.) 219 

131.  Architrave  of  the  temple  of  Aphrodite  Pandemus.  (Photograph 

of  C.  H.  W.) 222 

132.  Acropolis,  from  Museum  Hill.  (Photograph  of  Neue  Photo- 

graphische Gesellschaft.) 223 

133.  Plan  of  the  Acropolis.  (Drawing  by  R.  B.  D.)  ....  225 

134.  Plan  of  the  west  end  of  the  Acropolis.  (Cavvadias  and  Kawe- 

rau,  Die  Ausgrabung  der  Akropolis,  PI.  6.)  ....  226 


xviii  ILLUSTRATIONS 

FIGURE 

135.  Extant  corner  of  the  early  Propylum  of  the  Acropolis.  (Photo- 

graph of  the  German  Institute.)  ...... 

136.  Plan  of  the  early  Propylum.  (Weller,  American  Journal  of 

Archaeology , 8 [1904],  PI.  1.) 

137.  Elevation  of  the  early  Propylum,  restored.  (Weller,  American 

Journal  of  Archaeology,  8 [1904],  Fig.  4.) 

138.  Propylaea  and  temple  of  Athena  Victory,  from  the  west.  (Pho- 

tograph of  Neue  Photographische  Gesellschaft.) 

139.  Pinacotheca  and  front  of  the  Propylaea,  from  the  southwest. 

(Photograph  of  John  Lodge.) 

140.  Plan  of  the  Propylaea.  (Drawing  by  R.  B.  D.)  .... 

141.  Propylaea,  from  the  east.  (Photograph  of  the  American  School.) 

142.  Propylaea,  from  the  southwest,  restored.  (Drawing  by  W. 

Leonard,  after  Luckenbach ; Baumgarten,  Poland,  and 
Wagner,  Die  Hellenische  Kultur,  Fig.  299.) 

143.  Basis  of  the  Monument  of  Agrippa,  from  the  temple  of  Athena 

Victory.  (Photograph  of  C.  H.  W.)  ..... 

144.  Temple  of  Athena  Victory,  from  the  top  of  the  Pinacotheca. 

(Photograph  of  Arthur  S.  Cooley.)  ..... 

145.  Inscriptions  relating  to  the  construction  of  the  temple  of  Athena 

Victory.  (Photograph  of  the  American  School.) 

146.  Southeast  corner  of  the  frieze  of  the  temple  of  Athena  Victory. 

(Photograph.)  ......... 

147.  Victory  adjusting  her  sandal ; slab  of  the  balustrade  about  the 

temple  of  Athena  Victory.  (Photograph  from  a cast.) 

148.  Victory  adjusting  her  sandal,  restored  ; from  a modern  copy  in 

marble.  (Photograph  of  Simiriottis.)  ..... 

149.  Temple  of  Athena  Victory  and  surroundings,  restored.  (Jahn- 

Michaelis,  Arx  Athenarum , xx.)  ...... 

150.  Replica  of  the  Hermes  Propylaeus  by  Alcamenes ; from  Per- 

gamum.  (Photograph  of  the  German  Institute.) 

151.  Relief  representing  the  Graces.  (Photograph.) 

152.  Plan  of  the  precinct  of  Hygieia.  (Drawing  by  R.  B.  D.,  after 

Cavvadias  and  Kawerau,  Die  Ausgrabung  der  Akropolis , 
PI.  6.) 

153.  Altar  of  Hygieia.  (Photograph  of  C.  H.  W.)  .... 

154.  Base  of  a statue  by  Cresilas,  perhaps  that  of  the  statue  of  Diei- 

trephes.  (Photograph  of  the  American  School.) 


PAGE 

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228 

229 

230 

231 

232 

232 

233 
238 
240 
243 

245 

246 
246 

249 

250 

251 

253 

254 

255 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


xix 


FIGURE  PAGE 

155.  Base  of  statue  of  Athena  Hygieia,  in  front  of  the  southeast 

column  of  the  Propylaea.  (Photograph  of  the  American 
School.)  ..........  256 

156.  Head  supposed  to  be  a copy  of  the  Perseus  of  Myron.  (Photo- 

graph.)   257 


157.  Plan  of  the  precincts  between  the  Propylaea  and  the  Parthenon, 

restored.  (D’Ooge,  The  Acropolis  of  Athens,  Fig.  124,  after 
Dorpfeld,  Athenische  Mittheilungen , 14  [1889],  p.  307.)  . 258 

158.  “ Diana  of  Gabii,”  supposed  to  be  a copy  of  Brauronian  Arte- 

mis of  Praxiteles.  (Photograph.)  .....  259 

159.  Base  of  the  “ Wooden  Horse  ” of  bronze,  made  by  Strongylion. 

(Photograph  of  C.  H.  W.) 261 

160.  Base  of  the  statue  of  Epicharinus,  by  Critius  and  Nesiotes. 

(Photograph  of  C.  H.  W.) 262 

161.  Athena  and  Marsyas ; Athenian  coin.  (Imhoof-Blumer  and 

Gardner , Journal  of  Hellenic  Studies , 8 [1887],  PI.  75,  Zxx.)  263 

162.  Athena  and  Marsyas  ; vase  painting.  (Baumeister,  Denkmaler, 

Fig.  1209.)  . .263 

163.  Athena  and  Marsyas,  on  the  “ Finlay  vase.”  (Photograph  of 

the  American  School.)  . . . . . . . 264 

164.  Athena  and  Marsyas,  by  Myron.  (Restored  by  E.  Kischeisen 

after  design  of  P.  J.  Meier ; photograph  of  Professor  Meier.)  265 

165.  Theseus  and  Minotaur;  Athenian  coin.  (Imhoof-Blumer  and 

Gardner, Journal  of Hellenic  Studies , 8 [1887],  PI.  77,  D Dm.)  265 

166.  Birth  of  Athena,  from  the  head  of  Zeus  ; vase  painting.  (Smith, 

Parthenon  Sculptures , Fig.  10,  Text.)  .....  266 

167.  Inscription  and  bedding  for  statue  of  Fruit-bearing  Earth. 

(Photograph  of  G.  H.  W.) 267 

168.  Ge  rising  from  the  Ground  — contest  of  Poseidon  and  Polybotes  ; 

vase  of  Erginus  and  Aristophanes.  (Baumeister,  Denk- 
maler,  Fig.  637.)  .........  268 

169.  Lower  part  of  base  of  statues  of  Conon  and  Timotheus.  (Pho- 

tograph of  the  American  School.)  .....  269 

170.  Contest  of  Athena  and  Poseidon ; vase  painting.  (Baumeister, 

Denkmaler,  Fig.  1542.)  .......  270 

171.  Plan  of  Pre-Persian  Parthenon.  (After  Hill,  American  Journal 

of  Archaeology,  16  [1912],  PI.  9.)  . . . . . . 271 

172.  Northwest  corner  of  Parthenon.  (Photograph  of  the  German 

‘ Institute.) 272 


XX 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


FIGURE 

173.  Base  of  anta  of  earlier  Parthenon.  (Photograph  of  B.  H.  Hill.) 

174.  Complex  of  walls  south  of  the  Parthenon.  (After  Dorpfeld, 

Athenische  Mittheilungen,  27  [1902],  Figs.  4,  5,  6.) 

175.  Parthenon,  from  the  northeast.  (Photograph  of  Simiriottis.)  . 

176.  Plan  of  the  Parthenon.  (Jahn-Michaelis,  Arx  Athenarum,  ix.)  . 

177.  Interior  of  the  Parthenon,  from  the  east.  (Photograph  of  John 

Lodge.) 

178.  South  steps  of  the  Parthenon,  showing  horizontal  curvature. 

(Photograph  of  C.  H.  W.)  ....... 

179.  Carrey  drawing  of  the  east  pediment  of  the  Parthenon. 

(Svoronos,  4>tDs  iwl  tov  Hapdevuvos,  PI.  19.)  . . . . 

180.  Birth  of  Athena  ; relief  about  a marble  puteal  at  Madrid.  (Smith, 

Parthenon  Sculptures , Fig.  11,  Text.)  . . . . . 

181.  Central  group  of  the  east  pediment,  restored.  (Svoronos,  <f>ws 

h ri  tov  Uapdev&vos,  Fig.  19.)  ...... 

182.  Figures  from  the  south  side  of  the  east  pediment  of  the  Parthe- 

non. (Photograph.) 

183.  The  “ Fates,”  from  the  east  pediment  of  the  Parthenon.  (Pho- 

tograph of  Donald  Macbeth,  London.)  . . . . 

184.  Carrey  drawing  of  the  west  pediment  of  the  Parthenon.  (Svo- 

ronos, 4»u>s  67 rt  tov  HapdevQvos , PI.  18.)  . . . . 

185.  Parthenon,  from  the  northwest.  (Photograph  of  Neue  Photo- 

graphische  Gesellschaft.)  ....... 

186.  “ Ilissus,”  from  the  west  pediment  of  the  Parthenon.  (Photo- 

graph of  Donald  Macbeth,  London.)  . . . . . 

187.  Lapith  and  Centaur ; metope  from  the  Parthenon.  (Photo- 

graph of  Donald  Macbeth,  London.)  ..... 

188.  Lapith  and  Centaur ; metope  from  the  Parthenon.  (Photograph 

of  Donald  Macbeth,  London.)  ...... 

189.  West  pediment  of  the  Parthenon,  in  situ.  (D’Ooge,  The  Acropo- 

lis of  Athens,  Fig.  74.)  ........ 

190.  Section  of  the  north  frieze  of  the  Parthenon.  (Photograph  of 

Donald  Macbeth,  London.) 

191.  Athena,  Hephaestus,  Poseidon,  Apollo,  and  Artemis,  from  the 

east  frieze  of  the  Parthenon.  (Photograph  of  Donald  Mac- 
beth, London.)  ......... 

192.  Central  episode  of  the  procession,  from  the  east  frieze  of  the 

Parthenon.  (Photograph  of  Donald  Macbeth,  London.)  . 


PAGE 

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275 

276 

277 

278 

282 

284 

285 

285 

286 

287 

288 

289 

289 

290 

290 

292 

293 

294 

295 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


xxi 


FIGURE 

193.  Varvakeion  statuette  of  Athena  Parthenos.  (Photograph  of 

Neue  Photographische  Gesellschaft.)  . 

194.  Lenormant  statuette  of  Athena  Parthenos.  (Photograph  of 

Simiriottis.)  .......  . 

195.  Colossal  figure  adapted  after  the  Parthenos  of  Pheidias ; from 

Pergamum.  (Photograph  of  A.  Roster.)  . . . . 

196.  Gold  pendant  with  a representation  of  the  head  of  the  Parthe- 

nos. (Kieseritzky,  Athenische  Mittheilungen , 8 [1883],  PI.  15.) 

197.  Gem  signed  by  Aspasius,  with  representation  of  head  of  Athena. 

(Furtwangler,  Die  Antike  Gemmen .)  . ...  . 

198.  Strangford  shield.  (Gardner,  Six  Greek  Sculptors,  PI.  19.) 

199.  Plan  of  the  Parthenon  as  it  was  in  early  Christian  times. 

(D’Ooge,  The  Acropolis  of  Athens , Fig.  128,  after  Michaelis, 
Der  Parthenon , p.  46.)  ........ 

200.  Parthenon,  with  Turkish  mosque  and  houses,  from  the  east. 

(Stuart  and  Revett,  Antiquities  of  Athetis,  II,  PI.  4.)  . 

201.  Copies  in  marble  of  Giant  and  Amazon,  from  the  offering  of 

Attalus.  (Photograph.)  ....... 

202.  Seated  Athena,  ascribed  to  Endoeus.  (Photograph  of  Alinari.) 

203.  Remains  of  the  temple  of  Rome  and  Augustus.  (Photograph 

of  C.  H.  W.) 

204.  Foundation  of  the  “ Old  Temple.”  (Photograph  of  Arthur  S. 

Cooley.)  .......... 

205.  Plan  of  the  “Old  Temple.”  (Judeich,  Topographie  von  Athen , 

Fig.  30.) 

206.  Heracles  and  Triton,  from  pediment  of  the  Hecatompedum. 

(Photograph  of  Simiriottis.)  ...... 

207.  Typhon,  from  pediment  of  the  Hecatompedum.  (Photograph 

of  Simiriottis.)  ......... 

208.  Athena  and  the  giant  Enceladus,  from  the  pediment  of  the  “ Old 

Temple.”  (Photograph  of  Neue  Photographische  Gesell- 
schaft.) .......... 

209.  Erechtheum,  from  the  southwest.  (Photograph  of  Simiriottis.) 

210.  Erechtheum,  from  the  southeast.  (Photograph.) 

211.  Erechtheum,  from  the  east,  restored.  (Stevens,  American  four- 

nal  of  Archaeology,  10  [1906],  PL  9.) 

212.  Erechtheum,  from  the  west.  (Photograph.)  .... 

213.  North  door  of  Erechtheum.  (Photograph  of  Simiriottis.) 


PAGE 

296 

298 

299 

300 

300 

301 

303 

305 

309 

310 

311 

312 

313 

314 

315 

315 

318 

320 

321 

322 

323 


XXII 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


FIGURE  PAGE 

214.  Caryatid  Porch,  or  Hall  of  the  Maidens.  (Photograph  of  Simi- 

riottis.) 324 

215.  Carved  border  crowning  wall  and  anta  of  the  Erechtheum. 

(Photograph.) 326 

216.  Interior  of  the  Erechtheum,  from  the  east  porch.  (Photograph 

of  the  American  School.) 326 

217.  Plan  of  the  Erechtheum,  actual  state.  (Stevens , American  Jour- 

nal of  Archaeology,  10  [1906],  Fig.  1.)  . . . . . 327 

218.  Plan  of  the  Erechtheum,  restored.  (Stevens,  American  Journal 

of  Archaeology,  10  [1906],  PI.  6.) 328 

219.  Interior  of  the  southwest  corner  of  the  Erechtheum,  restored. 

(Hill,  Amencan  Journal  of  Archaeology,  14  [1910],  Fig.  3.)  . 330 

220.  Possible  original  plan  of  the  Erechtheum.  (Elderkin,  Problems 

in  Athenian  Buildings,  Fig.  12.)  . . . . . . 333 

221.  Erechtheum,  at  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  century.  (Stuart 


and  Revett,  Antiquities  of  Athens,  II,  PI.  19.)  . . . 336 

222.  Relief  from  an  archaic  pediment,  probably  representing  the  old 

Erechtheum.  (Photograph  of  the  American  School.)  . 337 

223.  Archaic  statue,  by  Antenor.  (Photograph  of  the  German  In- 

stitute.) . . . . . . . . . . 340 

224.  Archaic  female  figure.  (Photograph  of  Neue  Photographische 

Gesellschaft.)  .........  340 

225.  Archaic  statue,  dedicated  by  Euthydicus.  (Photograph  of  Simi- 

riottis.) 341 

226.  Theseus  discovering  the  sandals  of  his  father,  Aegeus ; Athe- 

nian coin.  (Imhoof-Blumer  and  Gardner , Journal  of  Hel- 
lenic Studies,  8 [1887],  PI.  77,  DD  n.) 342 


227.  Acropolis,  with  Parthenon,  Propylaea  and  its  approach,  Athena 

Promachus,  and  the  cave  of  Pan  ; Athenian  coin.  (Imhoof- 
Blumer  and  Gardner,  Journal  of  Hellenic  Studies,  8 [1887], 

PI.  75,  Z iv.) 344 

228.  Bust  of  Pericles,  probably  after  the  statue  by  Cresilas.  (Photo- 

graph.)   346 

229.  Lemnian  Athena,  restored.  (Photograph  of  Strassburg  Mu- 

seum ; furnished  by  Fr.  Winter.)  .....  349 

230.  Archaic  group  from  pediment  of  a building  on  the  Acropolis. 

(Photograph  of  the  American  School.)  ....  350 

231.  Acropolis  in  1687,  from  a drawing  made  for  Count  D’Ortieres. 

(Omont,  Athenes  au  xvil  Sihle,  PI.  31.)  ....  351 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


XXlll 


FIGURE 

232.  Northwest  slope  of  the  Acropolis,  with  caves  of  Pan  and  Apollo. 

(Photograph  of  C.  H.  W.) 

233.  Plan  of  northwest  slope  of  the  Acropolis.  (Harrison,  Primitive 

Athens,  Fig.  22,  after  Cavvadias,  Ephemeris  Archaiologike , 
1897.) 

234.  Entrance  to  the  cave  of  Pan.  (Photograph  of  C.  H.  W.)  . 

235.  Statue  of  Pan,  from  Peiraeus.  (Photograph  of  Simiriottis.) 

236.  Areopagus,  from  the  north.  (Photograph  of  the  American 

School.) 

237.  East  end  of  the  Areopagus,  from  the  southeast.  (Photograph 

of  Neue  Photographische  Gesellschaft.)  .... 

238.  Site  sometimes  given  as  that  of  the  sermon  of  St.  Paul.  (Pho- 

tograph of  the  American  School.)  ..... 

239.  Areopagus,  from  the  entrance  to  the  Acropolis;  at  the  right, 

the  chasm  of  the  Furies.  (Photograph  of  C.  H.  W.)  . 

240.  Panathenaic  ship  ; relief  from  the  “ Little  Metropolis  ” church. 

(Harrison  and  Verrall,  Mythology  and  Monuments  of  Ancient 
Athens , p.  153,  Fig.  31.)  ....... 

241.  Site  of  the  Academy,  from  Colonus  Hippius.  (Svoronos,  Das 

Athener  Nationalmuseum , PI.  123.)  . . 

242.  Inscription  on  a grave  stele.  (I G i.  Suppl.  446a.) 

243.  Plan  of  the  cemetery  on  the  Eridanus — 'the  Dipylum  Ceme- 

tery. (Drawing  by  R.  B.  D.,  after  Bruckner,  Friedhof  am 
Eridanos , Figs.  1 and  16,  and  Praktika , 1910,  PI.  1.)  . 

244.  Part  of  the  cemetery  on  the  Eridanus.  (Bruckner,  Praktika , 

1910,  Fig.  1 ; photograph  of  Professor  Briickner.) 

245.  Monument  of  the  knight  Dexileos,  son  of  Lysanias  of  Thoricus. 

(Photograph  of  John  Lodge.)  ...... 

246.  Gravestones  of  the  family  of  Coroebus  of  Melite.  (Photograph 

of  Alinari.)  .......... 

247.  Gravestone  of  Hagnostrate.  (Photograph  of  Alinari.) 

248.  Colonus  Hippius,  from  the  east.  (Svoronos,  Das  Athener  Na- 

tionahnuseum,  PI.  123.)  ....... 

249.  Map  of  Colonus  Hippius  and  its  environs.  (Drawing  by  R.  B. 

D.,  after  Svoronos,  Das  Athener  Nationalmuseum,  PI.  125.) 

250.  Hill  of  Demeter  Euchloiis,  from  the  chapel  of  Hagia  Eleousa. 

(Svoronos,  Das  Athener  Nationalmuseum,  PI.  124.) 


PAGE 

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353 

354 

355 

358 

359 

360 

361 

363 

368 

371 

372 

373 

375 

377 

378 

379 

380 

381 


XXIV 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


FIGURE 

251.  Map  of  Peiraeus.  (Drawing  by  R.  B.  D.,  after  Judeich,  Topo- 

graphic von  Athen , Plan  3.)  . 

252.  Hill  of  Munychia,  seen  from  across  the  great  harbor  of  Peiraeus. 

(Photograph  of  the  American  School.)  .... 

253.  View  northeast  from  the  Hill  of  Munychia.  (Photograph  of 

C.  H.  W.) 

254.  Munychia  Harbor,  from  the  Hill  of  Munychia.  (Photograph 

of  C.  H.  W.) 

255.  Zea  Harbor,  from  the  Hill  of  Munychia.  (Photograph  of  Simi- 

riottis.) 

256.  Peiraeus  and  the  harbor  of  Cantharus,  from  the  Hill  of 

Munychia.  (Photograph  of  Simiriottis.)  . . . . 

257.  Remains  of  shipsheds.  (Struck,  Griechenland,  I,  Fig.  196.) 

258.  Plan  and  section  of  shipsheds.  (Drawing  by  R.  B.  D.,  after 

Judeich,  Topographic  von  Athen,  Figs.  48a  and  48b.)  . 

259.  Facade  of  the  Arsenal  of  Philo,  restored.  (After  Dorpfeld, 

Athenische  Mittheilungen , 8 [1883],  PI.  9.)  . 

260.  Plan  of  the  Arsenal  of  Philo,  restored.  (After  Dorpfeld, 

Athenische  Mittheilungen,  8 [1883],  PI.  9.)  . 

261.  Plan  of  the  small  theater  of  Peiraeus.  (Dorpfeld  and  Reisch, 

Das  Griechische  Theater,  Fig.  34.)  ..... 

262.  Map  of  Athens.  (Drawing  by  R.  B.  D.,  after  Judeich,  Topo- 

graphic von  Athen , Plan  1.)  . 


PAGE 

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385 

386 
388 
388 

390 

391 

392 
394 
394 
401 
405 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


INTRODUCTION 
Sources  of  Information 

The  most  important  sources  for  our  knowledge  of  the 
topography  and  antiquities  of  ancient  Athens  are,  of  course, 
the  monuments  themselves;  and  under  monuments  we 
include  not  only  buildings  and  sculpture,  but  also  such 
remains  as  coins  and  inscriptions,  though  the  latter  may 
also  be  classed  as  a part  of  our  most  valuable  literary  evi- 
dence. Happily  the  monumental  remains  are  abundant, 
and  additions  are  constantly  being  made  by  means  of  ex- 
cavation and  various  investigations. 

Time,  however,  has  dealt  so  harshly  with  most  of  the 
ruins,  defacing  some,  destroying  others,  that  we  should 
be  quite  helpless  in  our  effort  to  visualize  the  ancient  city 
without  the  aid  of  the  literary  sources.  Casual  references 
in  the  writers  of  tragedy  and  comedy,  in  the  historians,  the 
orators,  the  philosophers,  and  many  other  authors,  and 
their  commentators,  are  of  inestimable  value.  But  we  are 
still  more  indebted  to  special  accounts  of  the  city  itself. 
Unfortunately  the  majority  of  these  have  come  down  to  us 
in  a very  fragmentary  condition.  The  most  regrettable 
loss  is  that  of  the  work  of  Polemo  of  Ilium  (second  century 
B.c.),  who  in  antiquity  was  highly  esteemed.  His  four 
books  On  the  Votive  Offerings  on  the  Acropolis , his  book 
On  the  Sacred  Way,  and  his  Record  of  the  Namesake 


B 


i 


2 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


Heroes  (. Eponymi ) of  the  Tribes  and  Denies,  would  be 
invaluable  to  us,  but  we  have  of  them  only  scanty  fragments. 
The  few  pages  of  a book  On  the  Cities  of  Greece , which 
has  survived  under  the  name  of  Dicaearchus  (published  by 
Heracleides  the  Critic  about  205  b.c.),  contain  some  notes 
on  Athens.  Only  disconnected  excerpts  have  been  pre- 
served, mostly  by  Byzantine  lexicographers,  of  similar 
works  by  Diodorus  the  Periegete  (fourth  century  b.c.), 
Heliodorus  of  Athens  (second  century  b.c.),  and  several 
others. 

But  the  greatest  treasure  of  the  student  of  Athenian 
topography  is  the  extant  treatise  of  Pausanias,  in  ten  books. 
This  author  was  a native  of  Asia  Minor,  his  home  probably 
being  at  or  near  Lydian  Magnesia,  in  the  vicinity  of  Mt. 
Sipylus;  the  journey  on  which  his  description  seems  to 
have  been  based  was  probably  made  in  the  period  of  the 
Antonines  (138-180  a.d.).  The  first  thirty  chapters  of  his 
first  book  deal  with  the  city  of  Athens  and  the  demes  of 
Phalerum  and  Peiraeus.  Since  in  this  book  he  describes 
the  Stadium  as  it  stood  after  it  was  completed  by  Herodes 
Atticus,  in  143  a.d.,  and  later  remarks  that  the  Odeum  built 
by  the  same  man  in  honor  of  his  wife,  who  died  about  161 
a.d.,  was  not  built  when  the  book  was  written,  it  must  have 
been  published  between  the  dates  mentioned,  or  very  near 
the  middle  of  the  second  century  after  Christ.  Not  only 
in  respect  to  Athens, but  also  for  Olympia,  Delphi,  and  other 
places,  the  reliability  of  Pausanias  has  repeatedly  been 
tested  and  not  found  wanting.  His  purpose  seems  to 
have  been  to  compose  an  interesting  narrative  for  distant 
readers  and  to  provide  a handbook  for  the  traveler.  Com- 
ing from  Phalerum  and  Peiraeus  and  entering  the  city  by 
the  principal  gate,  he  guides  the  reader  systematically 
about  the  sites  which  seem  to  him  “worth  seeing.”  Of 


INTRODUCTION 


3 


course  we  should  not  assume,  as  some  have  done,  that  Pau- 
sanias  necessarily  followed  the  same  route  himself,  any 
more  than  this  would  be  assumed  for  a modern  guide-book. 

Second  only  in  importance  to  the  ancient  literature  are 
records  made  by  late  mediaeval  and  early  modern  visitors 
to  Athens.  These  comprise  so  numerous  a group  that  only 
a few  can  be  mentioned  in  our  survey.  For  about  twelve 
centuries  after  the  period  of  Pausanias  the  study  of  the 
antiquities  of  the  city  received  slight  attention.  In  1395 
Niccolo  da  Martoni  tarried  a day  there  upon  his  return 
from  a crusade  to  the  Holy  Land,  and  left  in  his  journal  a 
brief  account  of  what  he  saw.  A generation  later,  in  1436 
and  in  1447,  Cyriac  of  Ancona  spent  some  time  in  Athens, 
but  of  his  commentaries  and  drawings  only  portions  have 
survived.  Much  valuable  material  is  given  in  the  extant 
records  of  three  anonymous  visitors,  two  Greeks  and  an 
Italian,  who  were  in  the  city  just  after  the  middle  of  the 
fifteenth  century.  The  work  of  Martin  Kraus,  a professor 
of  Tubingen,  is  also  valuable. 

References  to  Athens  in  the  literature  of  the  next  two 
hundred  years  are  few  and  unsatisfactory.  About  the 
middle  of  the  seventeenth  century,  M.  Giraud,  consul  of 
France  and  later  of  England,  furnished  material  which  was 
soon  afterwards  published  by  the  scholar  Guillet  in  his 
Athenes  ancienne  et  nouvelle  (1675),  the  first  systematic 
account  of  the  city  to  appear  in  modern  times.  To  the  sev- 
enteenth century  belong  also  several  plans  of  Athens,  and 
especially  of  the  Acropolis,  the  best  being  that  made  for  the 
French  Capuchins  about  1660.  The  long  letter  from  Athens 
of  the  Jesuit  Babin  to  the  Abbe  Pecoil  of  Lyons  is  interest- 
ing, but  not  altogether  trustworthy.  Of  greater  moment 
are  the  descriptions  and  drawings  made  for  the  Marquis  de 
Noin  tel,  French  ambassador  to  the  Sublime  Porte,  who,  with 


4 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


his  retinue,  spent  some  weeks  in  Athens  in  1674.  The  most 
valuable  part  of  the  material  consists  of  sketches,  made  by 
a Flemish  painter  in  the  company  (probably  not,  as  for- 
merly supposed,  by  Jacques  Carrey,  the  French  artist)  of 
various  antiquities,  notably  the  pedimental  sculptures  of 
the  Parthenon  (p.  284).  Many  of  the  originals  were  des- 
tined to  perish  a few  years  later ; these  sketches  therefore 
are  of  prime  importance.  In  the  very  year  of  De  Nointel’s 
visit,  George  Transfeldt,  a runaway  slave  of  a Turkish 
merchant,  was  in  the  city  and  has  left  a brief  description. 
Two  years  later  the  French  artist  Jacob  Spon  and  the  Eng- 
lishman Sir  George  Wheler  visited  Athens  together,  and 
the  results  of  their  observations  form  the  first  scientific 
publication  of  the  ruins. 

With  the  end  of  the  seventeenth  century  came  disasters ; 
the  capture  of  the  city  by  the  Venetians,  in  1687,  was  ac- 
companied by  the  explosion  of  powder  stored  in  the  Par- 
thenon, and  followed  by  the  demolition  or  removal  of  works 
of  art  (p.  304) ; yet  the  attention  of  the  western  world  was 
attracted  to  Athens  and  its  monuments  as  never  before. 
To  the  Venetian  expedition  were  due  several  plans  and 
descriptions ; a panorama  was  also  made,  based  on  the 
Capuchin  plans. 

As  the  investigations  of  the  seventeenth  century  had  been 
mainly  French,  so  those  of  the  eighteenth  were  preemi- 
nently English.  Of  greatest  importance  is  the  work  of  the 
painter  James  Stuart  and  the  architect  Nicolas  Revett. 
Supported  by  wealthy  patrons,  these  men  spent  three 
years  in  Athens  (17 51-1754),  making  careful  plans  and 
measurements  of  the  ruins  and  preparing  sketches  of  ruins 
and  of  scenes  in  and  about  the  city.  The  four  sumptuous 
volumes  of  their  Antiquities  of  Athens  are  epochal,  and  form 
an  indispensable  addition  to  the  literature.  Chandler, 


INTRODUCTION 


5 


who  was  sent  out  by  the  Society  of  Dilettanti,  Pococke, 
Dalton,  Wilkins,  and  Dodwell  also  visited  the  city  and  made 
useful  contributions.  Finally  Colonel  William  M.  Leake, 
at  the  moment  when  the  Greek  revolution  broke  out  (1821), 
closed  the  period  with  his  illuminating  study  of  the  topog- 
raphy of  Athens,  a part  of  his  larger  study  of  Greece. 

After  the  Revolution  came  the  establishment  of  the  king- 
dom of  Greece,  and  an  era  of  tranquillity.  The  appoint- 
ment of  a German  prince,  Otho  of  Bavaria,  as  king  inten- 
sified the  awakened  interest  of  German  scholars  in  the  art 
and  history  of  the  country,  and  their  efforts  have  been  ably 
seconded  by  scholars  of  other  lands.  In  Athens  at  the 
present  time  are  the  headquarters  of  a well-supported  Greek 
National  Archaeological  Society,  and  foreign  scholarship 
is  represented  by  French,  German,  English,  Austrian,  and 
Italian,  as  well  as  American  Schools.1  The  twentieth 
century  has  opened  with  a cordial  cooperation  among  these 
various  agencies  established  for  the  advancement  of  research 
in  the  field  of  Greek  archaeology  and  antiquities. 

Building  Materials  and  Methods  of  Construction 

Architecture  in  any  land  is  conditioned  largely  upon  the 
building  materials  available ; in  this  respect  Athens  was 
particularly  favored.  Not  only  limestones  of  excellent 
quality,  but  true  marbles  also,  are  quarried  in  unlimited 
quantities  not  far  from  the  city.  The  earlier  inhabitants 

1 The  National  Archaeological  Society  of  Greece  was  organized  in  1837. 
In  1846  the  Ecole  Franqaise  d’Athenes  was  founded;  in  1874  the  Athenian 
section  of  the  Kaiserlich  Deutsches  Archaologisches  Institut,  with  headquarters 
in  Berlin;  the  American  School  of  Classical  Studies  was  established  in  1881, 
the  British  School  at  Athens  in  1883.  The  most  recent  accessions  are  the 
Athenian  branch  of  the  Oesterreichisches  Archaologisches  Institut  and  the 
R.  Scuola  Archeologica  Italiana , founded,  respectively,  in  1908  and  1909  ; 
though  Austrian  and  Italian  archaelogical  stations  were  maintained  some 
years  previously. 


6 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


naturally  turned  to  the  material  nearest  at  hand,  the  hard, 
dark-gray  limestone  of  the  Acropolis  and  the  neighboring 
hills.  Of  this  stone,  with  its  crystalline  veins  and  nodules, 
the  old  wall  of  the  Acropolis  was  built,  as  well  as  the 
foundations  and  even  the  superstructures  of  early  build- 
ings. During  a part  of  the  sixth  and  fifth  centuries  b.c., 
considerable  use  was  made  of  Kara  limestone.  This  was 
of  dense  texture,  lighter  in  color  than  the  rock  of  the 
Acropolis,  and  of  a reddish  gray  tint.  It  was  quarried  near 
the  modern  village  of  Kara,  on  the  side  of  Mt.  Hymettus, 
about  three  miles  southeast  of  Athens.  But  the  favorite 
building  stone  from  the  sixth  century,  or  earlier,  down  into 
Roman  times  was  a softer  yellowish  gray  limestone  from 
Peiraeus,  the  Peiraic  limestone  or  poros.  This  is  easily 
worked  and  was  much  used  for  walls  and  even  for  sculp- 
tures. During  the  Periclean  age  it  was  chiefly  utilized 
for  foundations,  but  in  all  periods  after  its  introduction  it 
was  used  for  entire  buildings.  Visible  surfaces  of  poros 
were  often  covered  with  stucco  and  painted,  or,  in  Roman 
times,  veneered  with  slabs  of  marble.  A hard,  coarse 
breccia  was  also  employed,  particularly  from  the  fourth 
century  b.c.,  but  only  for  foundations  and  concealed  back- 
ing or  supporting  walls. 

But  the  Athenians  were  not  slow  to  appreciate  the  ad- 
vantages of  marble.  After  the  time  of  the  Peisistratids, 
marble  came  more  and  more  into  use  for  the  better  buildings. 
The  coarse-grained  Parian  and  other  island  marbles  seem  to 
have  been  used  at  first  in  both  architecture  and  sculpture, 
but  they  were  soon  left  for  the  sculptor  alone.  From  the 
end  of  the  sixth  century  b.c.,  the  fine-grained,  milk-white 
marble  from  quarries  still  visible  on  the  side  of  Mt.  Penteli- 
cus,  was  most  employed  for  architecture  and  often  for  sculp- 
ture; especially  noteworthy  is  its  use  in  the  splendid 


INTRODUCTION 


7 


structures  of  the  age  of  Pericles.  The  oxidization  of  the 
iron  which  Pentelic  marble  contains  has  produced  a golden- 
brown  patina,  the  rich  tints  of  which  add  to  the  charm  of 
Athenian  ruins  to-day.  In  later  times  the  bluish  and  usually 
streaked  marble  of  Mt.  Hymettus  1 was  greatly  admired. 
From  the  fourth  century  b.c.,  and  particularly  in  Hellen- 
istic buildings,  Hymettian  marble  was  even  preferred  to 
Pentelic.  Mention  must  also  be  made  of  a dark-gray  Eleu- 
sinian  stone,  which  is  used  as  a decorative  material  in  the 
Propylaea  and  the  Erechtheum,  but  otherwise  very  rarely. 

Kiln-dried  bricks  did  not  come  into  use  at  Athens  until 
Roman  times,  and  then  only  to  a limited  extent;  better 
materials  were  too  abundant.  Sun-dried  bricks,  on  the 
other  hand,  were  numerous  in  all  periods.  Of  them  were 
built  the  walls  of  private  houses  and  even  the  superstruc- 
ture of  the  Themistoclean  walls  of  the  city  and  of  Peiraeus. 
Roof  tiles  and  ornaments,  and  water  conduits,  were  usu- 
ally made  of  terra  cotta,  but  the  public  buildings  of  the 
best  periods  were  constructed  mostly  of  marble.  In  Roman 
days  opus  incertum,  and  other  forms  of  concrete  construc- 
tion were  introduced  as  elsewhere  in  the  Roman  world. 

The  earliest  walls  of  Athens,  such  as  the  old  wall  of  the 
Acropolis  and  the  first  house  walls,  were  Cyclopean,  that 
is,  were  built  of  stones  of  irregular  shape  and  often  of  huge 
dimensions,  slightly  hewn,  or  quite  unhewn ; the  inter- 
stices were  filled  with  smaller  stones  and  clay  (Fig.  2).  As 
the  stones  began  to  be  more  carefully  cut  and  fitted,  this 
style  developed  into  the  polygonal  wall  (Figs.  3 and  119). 
Polygonal  masonry  was  most  common  in  the  sixth  and  fifth 
centuries  b.c.,  but  it  is  found  also  both  earlier  and  later,  so 
that  its  presence  is  not  always  a safe  criterion  of  age. 

The  later  and  more  regular  polygonal  wall,  with  its 
1 Some  of  the  quarries  of  Pentelicus  yield  the  same  kind  of  marble. 


8 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


Fig.  2.  — Cyclopean  wall  belonging  to  the  Pelargicum,  at  the  east  end 
of  the  Acropolis. 

joints  approximately  horizontal  and  vertical,  perhaps 
developed  into  ashlar  masonry.  The  latter  appeared  at 
Athens  as  early  as  the  seventh  century  b.c.,  and  is  the  ordi- 


Fig.  3.  — Polygonal  wall  in  the  west  ascent  to  the  Acropolis. 


INTRODUCTION 


9 


nary  style  found  in  Athenian  buildings.  In  the  architec- 
ture of  the  best  period  the  blocks  were  cut  and  joined  with 
the  utmost  precision,  so  that  the  insertion  even  of  the  blade 
of  a penknife  between  the  stones  is  impossible.  The  heavier 
walls  were  ordinarily  constructed  of  headers  and  stretchers, 
the  former  at  right  angles,  the  latter  parallel,  to  the  course 
of  the  wall.  The  surfaces  of  finished  walls  were  carefully 
smoothed,  but  the  blocks  in  many  unfinished  walls,  as  those 
of  the  Propylaea  (p.  236),  retain  the  depressed  border  to 
which  the  remainder  of  the  surface  was  to  be  dressed,  and 
often  the  “ bosses”  to  which  the  lifting  ropes  had  been 
attached;  with  reference  to  the  process  of  moving  the 
stones,  however,  we  should  add  that  most  blocks  were 
lifted  with  derricks  by  means  of  grappling  hooks  and  lew- 
ises, as  they  are  to-day.  In  later  times  the  raised  surface 
left  within  the  border  (the  rustica,  Figs.  4 and  82)  was 


Fig.  4.  — Olympium  and  south  wall  of  its  precinct. 

The  upper  portion  of  the  wall  is  a modern  restoration. 


purposely  kept  as  an  ornament.  In  walls  of  the  majority 
of  buildings  the  course  (orthostatae)  above  that  which 
(euthynteria)  lay  on  the  foundation  or  floor  was  usually 
of  double  the  height  of  the  other  courses  of  the  wall. 


IO 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


Mortar  made  with  lime  was  not  used  in  walls  until  Roman 
times.  The  Greeks  tied  blocks  of  stone  or  marble  together 
with  various  sorts  of  dowels  and  cramps,  usually  of  bronze, 
fastened  in  their  sockets  with  lead.  The  drums  of  columns, 
at  least  of  the  principal  Athenian  buildings,  are  held  in 
place  by  round  dowels  of  wood  set  in  squared  wooden  blocks 

which  fill  the  sockets  in  the 
stone  (Fig.  5).  Courses  in  a 
wall  are  kept  from  shifting  by 
metal  dowels  ; the  blocks  in  the 
same  course  are  held  together 
by  cramps.  The  forms  of  the 
cramps  varied  with  the  differ- 
ent periods,  and  furnish  a con- 
venient criterion  for  the  deter- 
mination of  approximate  dates. 
Z-shaped  cramps  (' — 1)  seem  to 
have  been  used  mostly  before  the  end  of  the  sixth  century 
b.c.  Double- T-shaped  cramps  (' — |)  are  characteristic  of 
the  best  period,  the  sixth  to  the  fourth  centuries  b.c. 
U-shaped  cramps  (1 — 1),  with  the  extremities  sinking  ver- 
tically into  the  stones,  are  used  from  the  fourth  century 
b.c.  Swallow- tailed  cramps  (c^c)  are  found  in  walls  of 
various  epochs  (Fig.  6),  and  other  kinds  are  occasionally 
used. 

Cramps  are  of  different  sizes.  The  double- T cramps  of 
the  Parthenon  are  about  1 2 inches  long.  The  largest 
cramp  known,  in  the  Propylaea,  is  31.5  inches  long. 

The  three  “ orders”  of  architecture  (Fig.  7),  Doric, 
Ionic,  and  Corinthian,  will  be  familiar  to  most  readers. 
Their  use  in  Athenian  buildings,  and  the  architectural 
forms  most  often  employed,  will  be  indicated  in  connection 
with  the  buildings  studied  in  the  following  pages. 


Fig.  6.  — Various  styles  of  cramps  used  in  uniting  the  blocks  of  a wall. 

Number  i is  the  Z-shaped  cramp,  2 the  double-T-shaped,  3 the  U-shaped,  with  extremities 
descending  vertically  into  the  stones,  and  4 the  swallow-tailed  cramp. 


Fig.  7.  — The  “ orders  ” of  Greek  architecture. 


:Z^-XH2-AI0  O 


At  the  right  is  the  Acropolis  with  the  Areopagus  in  front  of  it  ; at  the  left  is  Market  Hill  and  the  “Theseum  ; ” in  the  background,  at  the  left,  are 
Anchesraus  with  Lycabettus  at  its  end,  the  summit  of  Pentelicus,  and,  at  the  right,  Hymettus. 


CHAPTER  I 


Situation  and  Natural  Environment 

The  city  (Fig.  8)  of  Athens  1 lies  in  the  midst  of  an 
irregular  and  undulating  plain  (Fig.  9),  which  extends  from 
the  northeast  southwestwards  to  the  Saronic  Gulf  and  is, 
roughly  speaking,  about  fifteen  miles  long  by  ten  miles 
wide.  On  three  sides  the  plain  is  hemmed  in  by  mountains, 
whose  foothills  extend  far  out  into  the  central  area.  The 
range  of  Parnes  is  the  highest  (4631  feet)  and  longest, 
extending  westward  into  Mt.  Cithaeron  and  eastward 
nearly  to  Mt.  Pentelicus.  High  up  in  Parnes  is  the  fort  of 
Phyle,  where  Thrasybulus  assembled  the  little  band  that 
was  to  terminate  the  Thirty’s  tyranny.  The  naked  ridge 
of  Harma  was  clearly  visible  to  the  Pythian  priests  at 
Athens,  watching  for  the  lightnings  over  its  summit  to  tell 
them  of  the  time  to  send  sacrifices  to  Delphi  (p.  61).  Far- 
ther east  is  Decelea,  whence  at  the  end  of  the  Pelopon- 
nesian War  the  Spartans  spied  upon  the  city;  the  king’s 
summer  palace  is  now  in  the  vicinity,  at  Tatoi. 

Northeast  of  Athens  is  the  pyramidal  peak  (3637  feet)  of 
Mt.  Pentelicus  (Fig.  10),  or  Brilessus;  white  scars  in  its 
side  mark  the  site  of  the  modern  marble  quarries,  which 
are  not  far  from  the  ancient.  The  summit  of  the  mountain 
is  about  eleven  and  a half  miles,  in  a direct  line,  from  the 

1 The  city  lies  in  370  58'  north  latitude  and  230  42'  east  longitude  (from 
Greenwich).  The  latitude  is  nearly  the  same  as  that  of  Palermo,  Cordova, 
and  San  Francisco. 


13 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


Acropolis.  Hymettus  (3369  feet)  is  the  elongated  moun- 
tain on  the  eastern  borders  of  the  plain.  Its  sides  are 


Fig.  9.  — Map  of  the  Athenian  plain. 

scored  with  deep  and  rugged  ravines;  the  southern  and 
lower  third,  cut  off  by  a high  pass,  is  the  Anhydros  or 
Waterless  Hymettus.  Even  more  than  for  its  marble  was 


SITUATION  AND  NATURAL  ENVIRONMENT 


15 


the  mountain  famous  for  its  bees,  which  gathered  honey, 
as  they  do  to-day,  from  the  wild  thyme  and  savory  and 
other  fragrant  herbs  growing  on  its  rugged  slopes.  But  its 
most  wonderful  feature  is  the  glow  cast  over  it  by  the 
setting  sun ; purpureos  colies  florentis  Hymetti  the  poet 
Ovid  called  the  deep-tinted  heights.  Marking  the  western 


Fig.  10.  — - Mt.  Pentelicus  in  winter,  as  seen  from  the  American  School. 


border  of  the  plain  are  the  lower  summits  (1535  feet)  of  Mt. 
Aegaleus,  or  Corydallus,  which  divides  the  Athenian  from 
the  Eleusinian  plain.  Aegaleus  is  really  a spur  of  Parnes 
and  is  joined  to  it  by  the  low  ridge  (564  feet),  over  which  the 
railroad  to  the  Peloponnesus  now  passes.  In  Aegaleus, 
almost  directly  west  of  Athens,  is  a low  pass  (416  feet) 
where  now  is  the  mediaeval  monastery  of  Daphni;  here 
in  antiquity  ran  the  Sacred  Way  which  led  to  the  mystic 
close  at  Eleusis.  In  the  middle  of  the  plain  is  another  low 
range,  the  ancient  Anchesmus,  which  terminates  abruptly 
at  the  south  end  in  the  conical  hill  of  Lycabettus  (912  feet, 
Fig.  n),  at  the  northern  edge  of  modern  as  of  ancient 
Athens ; it  is  now  crowned  by  the  little  chapel  of  St.  George. 


i6 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


In  shape  Athens  formed  an  irregular  ellipse  (Fig.  22), 
about  a mile  and  a half  long  from  east  to  west  and  a mile 
wide  from  north  to  south.  The  northern  half  is  fairly 
level,  the  southern,  hilly.  Near  the  middle  of  the  ellipse 
is  the  lofty  rock  of  the  Acropolis,  whose  west  slopes  blend 
with  those  of  the  Areopagus  and  the  Pnyx. 


Fig.  11.  — Mt.  Lycabettus,  from  the  Acropolis. 

The  palace  lies  at  the  right  of  Lycabettus  ; in  the  background  is  Mt.  Pentelicus. 

The  hills  of  Athens  were  once  connected  geologically 
with  Mt.  Lycabettus,  and  so  the  ancients  surmised,  as  we 
see  from  a passage  in  Plato’s  Critias  (p.  112A).  The 
Acropolis,  by  nature  the  most  important  hill,  was  the  seat 
of  earliest  settlement.  It  is  an  abrupt  and  rocky  plateau, 
nearly  1000  feet  long  by  445  feet  wide ; it  reaches  its  great- 
est elevation  (512  feet)  northeast  of  the  Parthenon.  The 


SITUATION  AND  NATURAL  ENVIRONMENT 


west  end  descends  gradually  and  provides  the  only  natural 
approach ; the  other  sides  are  precipitous,  though  the  fall 
on  the  south  side  was  less  pronounced  before  the  height  was 
increased  by  filling,  on  the  inside  of  the  wall.  Northwest 
of  the  Acropolis  is  the  Areopagus  (pp.  357  ff.),  a triangular 
rock,  precipitous  about  its  east  end,  where  it  is  highest 
(377  feet),  and  sloping  away  gently  toward  the  west. 
Bounding  the  city  on  the 
southwest  is  the  Pnyx  Hill, 
which  is  divided  by  depres- 
sions into  three  parts.  Of 
these  the  southernmost,  the 
Museum  Hill  (Fig.  144),  is 
the  highest  (485  feet) ; on 
its  summit  stands  the  con- 
spicuous monument  of  Philo- 
pappus  (Fig.  12),  which  has 
now  lent  its  name  to  the 
hill.  The  central  elevation, 
the  Pnyx  proper,  held  the 
ancient  meeting  place  of  the 
ecclesia  (pp.  no  ff.).  The 
northernmost  hill  is  now  Fig.  12.  — Monument  of  Philopap- 
called  the  Hill  of  the  ptu!:  °"  the  summit  of  the  Hi" 
Nymphs,  from  an  inscription 

hewn  in  its  side ; the  ancient  name  is  unknown.  Here  the 
national  observatory  now  stands ; behind  it  is  the  pit  known 
as  the  Barathrum,  into  which  were  thrown  the  bodies  of  ex- 
ecuted criminals.  A low,  flat  ridge  running  north  from 
between  the  Hill  of  the  Nymphs  and  the  Areopagus  is  the 
ancient  Colonus  Agoraeus  (p.  88),  the  western  boundary 
of  the  Agora,  or  market-place.  Some  hills  of  minor  im- 
portance will  be  mentioned  later  in  special  connections. 


i8 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


The  geological  formation  of  the  hills  is  shown  in  the  ac- 
companying diagram  (Fig.  13). 

The  Athenian  plain  has  always  been  scantily  watered. 
The  largest  river,  the  Cephissus,  has  its  sources  in  Pames 
and  Pentelicus,  and  flows  through  the  middle  of  the  plain, 
passing  about  two  miles  from  the  city ; it  empties  into  the 
Phaleric  Bay.  Except  in  time  of  freshets,  however,  its 

Lycabeltos 


SW  Sea  Level  N.E.. 

Fig.  13.  — Geological  formation  of  the  hills  of  Athens. 


water  is  either  exhausted  by  irrigating  ditches  or  sinks  into 
the  gravelly  soil  before  its  mouth  is  reached.  Its  moisture 
is  not  all  wasted,  for  on  either  side  of  the  stream  are  miles 
of  luxuriant  olive  groves.  The  Ilissus  River  rises  in  Hymet- 
tus  and  flows  westward  past  the  southern  borders  of  the 
city  toward  the  Cephissus.  Its  bed  (Fig.  56)  is  usually 
dry,  save  for  a slender  thread  or  an  occasional  pool,  but  a 
heavy  rain  sometimes  turns  the  rivulet  into  a rushing  tor- 
rent. A third  river,  the  Eridanus,  had  its  rise  in  springs 
on  the  side  of  Lycabettus,  and  flowed  westward  through 
the  city,  issuing  at  the  Sacred  Gate ; but  it  has  gradually 
been  filled  or  arched  over,  and  its  very  course  until  recently 
was  lost.  Even  in  antiquity  it  was  turbid  except  near  its 
sources.  Of  two  other  streams,  the  Sciron  and  the  Cyclo- 
borus,  we  know  little  more  than  the  names  and  the  fact 
that  they  were  north  of  the  city. 

The  city  contained  a few  natural  springs;  we  have  in- 
formation concerning  Callirrhoe,  south  of  the  Areopagus  (pp. 
108  ff .) , the  Clepsydra  (pp.  35 1 f .) , and  the  spring  of  the  Ascle- 


SITUATION  AND  NATURAL  ENVIRONMENT  19 


pieum  (p.  209),  on  the  slopes  of  the  Acropolis.  Another 
Callirrhoe,  in  the  bed  of  the  Ilissus,  is  apparently  supplied 
by  subterranean  streams  of  the  river.  Of  cisterns  the  num- 
ber was  legion.  Peisistratus,  in  the  sixth  century  b.c.,  was 
probably  the  first  to  bring  water  into  the  city  by  a conduit 
to  supplement  Callirrhoe ; near  the  other  end  of  the  city’s 
life  Hadrian  began  to  build  an  aqueduct  from  Pentelicus, 
which  Antoninus  Pius  completed.  This  aqueduct  and  its 
terminal  reservoir  on  the  side  of  Lycabettus  have  been  re- 
stored and  are  in  use  to-day  to  supply  the  modern  city. 

The  arid,  calcareous  soil  of  the  Athenian  plain  produces 
little  vegetation  save  olive  and  fig  trees,  though  by  irriga- 
tion considerable  tracts  are  being  redeemed  for  vineyards 
and  gardens.  Thucydides  and  other  ancient  writers  men- 
tion the  thinness  of  the  soil,  which,  except  along  the  Cephis- 
sus,  in  many  places  barely  hides  the  rock  beneath.  The 
upper  slopes  of  the  mountains  support  the  holm  oak  and  a 
variety  of  shrubs,  but  the  lower  declivities  and  the  strip  of 
plain  adjoining  have  forests,  which  are  subject  to  destruc- 
tive fires.  Athens  itself  contains  few  trees,  except  those 
planted  in  the  parks ; apparently  in  antiquity  it  was  not 
much  better  off  in  this  respect,  though  we  read  of  planes  and 
other  trees  in  the  Agora  and  the  parks  and  along  the  Ilissus. 

Accurate  meteorological  observations  have  been  taken  at 
the  national  observatory  for  more  than  half  a century,  and 
comparisons  have  been  made  between  the  recent  records 
and  all  available  evidence  regarding  ancient  conditions. 
Continued  denudation  of  both  mountains  and  plain  has 
no  doubt  increased  the  aridity  of  the  region,  but  the  records 
show  that  forest  fires  and  the  destruction  of  timber  by 
human  agencies,  such  as  charcoal  burners,  were  familiar 
in  antiquity;  on  the  whole  the  climatic  conditions  seem 
not  to  have  undergone  material  change. 


20 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


The  bright  and  clear  Athenian  air  has  ever  been  a subject 
of  comment.  Euripides  remarked  upon  it,  and  the  photog- 
rapher of  to-day  can  test  it  empirically.  Only  a ninth  of 
the  days  in  the  year  are  sunless,  and  on  not  more  than  a 
dozen  days  is  the  sky  completely  overcast.  Rain  falls  on 
not  more  than  a hundred  days,  mostly  during  the  months 
from  October  to  January.  The  precipitation  in  summer  is 
scanty  or  altogether  lacking,  as  is  also  the  dew,  and  the 
total  yearly  rainfall  is  only  about  sixteen  inches.1  Morning 
fogs  are  frequent,  especially  in  summer,  when  the  distant 
mountains  are  often  shrouded  in  a light  haze  even  through- 
out the  day.  Showers  are  sometimes  accompanied  by 
terrific  lightnings,  the  thunderbolts  of  Zeus,  and  heat 
lightning  is  often  incessant.  During  the  night  of  August 
30,  1862,  some  56,000  flashes  were  counted  inside  of  four 
hours.  Snowfall  in  the  city  is  rare  and  light,  but  the 
mountains  are  often  snow-capped  throughout  the  winter. 

The  average  temperature  of  January,  usually  the  coldest 
month,  is  about  46°  F. ; of  July,  the  hottest  month,  about 
8i°  F.  The  mean  annual  temperature  is  about  68°  F., 
but  the  heat  of  July  and  August  is  often  intense.  The 
highest  recorded  temperature  for  the  period  of  observation 
is  105.26°  F.,  the  lowest,  19.58°  F.  The  heat  of  the  soil 
has  once  been  known  to  rise  as  high  as  160°  F.  Dryness 
of  the  air  is  very  marked,  the  percentage  of  saturation 
in  July  and  August  averaging  only  47,  from  November  to 
January  about  75. 

The  winds  keep  the  air  of  Athens  in  almost  constant 
motion  and  frequently  carry  with  them  clouds  of  dust, 
which  whiten  the  vegetation,  and  penetrate  the  houses; 
these,  and  the  lack  of  water,  are  the  bane  of  the  city. 
Boreas,  the  stormy  north  wind  from  Thrace,  which,  says 

1 The  average  annual  rainfall  of  Washington,  D.C.  is  about  43  inches. 


SITUATION  AND  NATURAL  ENVIRONMENT 


21 


Alciphron’s  poor  man  (3,  42,  2),  “goes  through  my  sides 
like  an  arrow/’  is  really  not  so  frequent  (average,  53.6  days 
in  the  year)  as  Caesias,  the  northeast  wind  (92.6  days),  or 
Lips,  the  southwest  wind  (65  days),  or  Notus,  the  south 
wind  (58.7  days).  Zephyrus,  the  west  wind  (15  days),  and 
Apeliotes,  the  east  wind  (10.5  days),  are  comparatively 
infrequent.1 


GENERAL  ASPECT  OF  THE  CITY 

The  extent  and  appearance  of  Athens  naturally  varied 
greatly  with  the  different  epochs  of  its  history.  The  time, 
however,  which  we  should  choose,  in  order  to  see  the  city 
at  the  zenith  of  its  glory,  is  the  period  of  the  Antonines, 
ending  about  180  a.d.,  after  all  its  public  buildings  had  been 
completed  and  before  the  era  of  ruin  and  decay  had  set  in. 
Fortunately  this  is  just  the  period  that  we  best  know, 
thanks  to  the  description  of  Pausanias. 

How  large  a population  Athens  had  cannot  be  accurately 
determined.  It  was  never  large.  Modern  estimates  vary 
greatly,  but  we  may  well  believe  that  the  entire  population, 
including  Peiraeus,  at  no  time  exceeded  200,000. 

Some  years  after  the  Persian  Wars,  Peiraeus  was  laid 
out  by  the  Milesian  architect  Hippodamus  in  rectangular 
blocks,  but  Athens  itself,  like  most  ancient  and,  indeed, 
most  modern  cities  until  recent  times,  grew  up  after  no 
comprehensive  plan. 

A few  wide  avenues  led  from  the  principal  gates  in  the 
city  wall.  The  broadest  was  the  street  leading  from  the 
Dipylum  to  the  Agora  (p.  79),  which  was  lined  with  colon- 
nades on  both  sides.  At  the  eastern  end  of  the  Acropolis 
was  the  impressive  street  of  the  Tripods  (p.  180),  a favorite 

1 For  the  personifications  of  the  winds  in  the  reliefs  of  the  Horologium, 
see  pages  143  f. 


22 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


promenade.  South  of  the  Areopagus  a considerable  stretch 
of  the  famous  road  along  which  the  Panathenaic  procession 
passed,  has  been  uncovered,  but  this  is  found  to  be  only 
thirteen  to  eighteen  feet  wide,  and  shut  in  closely  on  either 
side  by  blank  walls  of  precincts  and  dwellings.  The  streets 
debouching  on  these  main  arteries  were  narrow,  in  great 
part  like  alleys.  Few  of  the  streets  were  paved,  and  side- 
walks were  unknown. 

We  have  little  information  about  the  private  houses  of 
the  city  and  must  depend  chiefly  for  our  knowledge  upon 


Fig.  14.  — Reconstruction  of  a house  at  Priene,  in  Asia  Minor. 

those  excavated  at  such  places  as  Priene  and  Delos  (Fig. 
14).  The  houses  were  built  about  central  courts,  which 
afforded  light  and  air,  and  most  of  them  were  but  one  story 
in  height.  The  front  wall,  built  on  the  edge  of  the  street, 
was  pierced  only  by  an  occasional  window  and  by  the  door, 
the  latter  sometimes  set  back  in  a vestibule.  A traveler  of 
the  Hellenistic  period  remarks  (Ps.-Dicaearchus  1,1):  “The 
majority  of  the  houses  are  cheap,  but  there  are  a few  good 
ones ; strangers  who  come  upon  them  unexpectedly  could 
hardly  be  made  to  believe  that  this  is  the  celebrated  city 


SITUATION  AND  NATURAL  ENVIRONMENT  23 


of  the  Athenians.’5  This  statement,  however,  has  a bear- 
ing only  upon  the  general  appearance  of  the  exterior,  for 
the  interiors  of  many  houses  must  have  been  fairly  ornate. 
Alcibiades  is  said  to  have  had  his  walls  decorated  by  a 
painter,  and  after  his  time  some  houses  must  have  been 
still  more  sumptuous.  In  the  fourth  century  b.c.  we  find 
Demosthenes  complaining  (3,  29)  that  “some  have  built 
private  houses  more  magnificent  than  the  public  buildings.” 

Along  the  more  frequented  streets  the  lower  front  rooms 
seem  often  to  have  been  used  as  shops,  either  by  owners  or 
tenants,  as  at  Pompeii.  The  erection,  in  a niche  or  a ves- 
tibule before  the  house,  of  a pillar  altar  of  Apollo  of  the 
Streets,  or  a herm,  or  a hecateum,  or  all  three,  was  a gen- 
eral custom.  Herms  were  also  set  up  at  street  crossings. 
The  location  of  a house  was  rarely  or  never  designated  by 
streets,  the  names  of  which,  in  fact,  were  usually  without 
marked  significance,  but  by  some  well-known  building  or 
site  near  which  it  stood. 

The  traces  of  dwellings  in  Coele,  between  the  extremities 
of  the  Long  Walls  on  the  western  slopes  of  the  Pnyx  hills, 
deserve  mention.  The  exposed  rock  of  this  district  is 
scarred  by  hundreds  of  cut- 
tings where  once  stood  the 
simple  habitations  of  a con- 
siderable population.  At 
one  point,  possibly  an  open 
meeting  place,  seven  rude 
seats  are  hewn  in  the  native 
rock  (Fig.  1 5) . Another  deep 
cutting,  with  three  adjacent 
rock-hewn  chambers  (now 
closed  by  iron  gratings) , has  long  been  called  the  Prison 
of  Socrates  (Fig.  16),  with  whom  it  has  nothing  to  do; 


24 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


it  was  doubtless  the  site  of  an  unusually  pretentious 
dwelling. 

The  patriotic  Athenian  spent  most  of  his  time  in  the 
open,  and  the  glory  of  his  city  was  the  public  buildings. 
The  center  of  Athenian  life  was  the  Agora,  situated  on 
the  lower  ground  north  of  the  Areopagus.  It  was  entered 


Fig.  16.  — The  so-called  Prison  of  Socrates,  a part  of  an  ancient 
dwelling. 


from  the  northwest  by  the  brilliant  avenue  leading  from  the 
Dipylum  gate,  and  was  flanked  on  all  sides  by  works  of 
architecture,  sculpture,  and  painting.  To  mention  only 
the  objects  of  chief est  note,  the  entering  visitor,  if  he  turned 
to  the  right,  saw  the  Royal  Stoa,  or  Colonnade,  the  Stoa 
of  Zeus  Savior,  and  the  temple  of  Paternal  Apollo.  The 
ridge  behind  these  bore  the  temple  of  Hephaestus  and  the 
shrine  of  the  hero  Eurysaces.  Against  the  slope  of  the 
Areopagus  stood  the  sanctuary  of  the  Mother  of  the  Gods, 
where  were  the  public  archives ; in  her  precinct,  too,  were 
the  senate  house  and  the  circular  Tholus.  Not  far  away 


SITUATION  AND  NATURAL  ENVIRONMENT 


25 


were  the  Orchestra,  with  the  revered  images  of  the  Tyran- 
nicides, the  temple  of  Ares,  and  the  statues  of  the  Namesake 
Heroes  of  the  tribes.  On  the  left  stood  the  Painted  Porch 
and  the  Theseum  (pp.  152  ff.).  Back  of  these  rose  the  im- 
posing Stoa  of  Attalus,  and  near  it  the  Ptolemaeum.  Still 
farther  on  stood  the  spacious  Stoa  of  Hadrian  and  the  great 
Market  of  Caesar  and  Augustus ; in  the  rear  of  these  the 
octagonal  Tower  of  the  Winds.  Then,  among  and  within 
all  the  buildings  and  precincts  we  must  imagine  almost 
countless  images  of  gods  and  heroes  and  distinguished  men ; 
while  everywhere  graceful  and  brightly  appareled  men  and 
women,  not  a few  of  whom  are  known  and  dear  to  us, 
round  out  the  brilliant  picture  with  warmth  and  life. 

Following  the  road  from  the  Prytaneum  about  the  east 
end  of  the  Acropolis,  our  traveler  came  upon  another  famous 
quarter  in  southeast  Athens.  Here  the  huge  temple  of 
Olympian  Zeus  and,  across  the  river,  the  Stadium,  stood 
out  conspicuously;  while  not  far  away  were  the  famous 
Gardens  and  the  shaded  parks  of  the  Lyceum  and  Cyno- 
sarges.  Or,  following  the  street  of  Tripods  at  the  east 
foot  of  the  Acropolis,  he  passed  the  Music  Hall  of  Pericles 
to  the  great  theater  of  Dionysus  and  the  two  temples  hard 
by;  then  continuing  westward  he  came  to  the  shrine  of 
Asclepius  and  Health,  or  walked  through  the  long  colon- 
nade of  Eumenes  to  the  lofty  Music  Hall  of  Herodes,  with 
its  spreading  roof  of  cedar. 

To  crown  all,  the  visitor  ascended  the  Acropolis,  past  the 
delicate  temple  of  Wingless  Victory,  between  the  exquisite 
columns  and  through  the  open  doors  of  the  Propylaea,  into 
the  middle  of  the  sacred  area.  All  about  him  were  scores 
of  statues,  masterpieces  in  marble  and  bronze;  on  every 
side  great  works  of  architecture;  the  whole  a marvelous 
harmony  of  brightness  and  color.  Foremost  among  the 


26 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


buildings,  the  graceful  Erechtheum  and  the  stately  Par- 
thenon ; and  in  the  Parthenon,  towering  on  its  pedestal 
the  awe-compelling  statue,  in  gold  and  ivory,  of  Athena, 
the  city’s  guardian. 

THE  DEMES 

Certain  districts  of  Athens  came  to  be  known  by  special 
names.  Limnae,  the  Marshes,  was  the  region  south  of  the 
Areopagus,  in  which  lay  the  oldest  precinct  of  Dionysus ; 
this  area  has  been  laid  bare  by  excavation  (p.  83).  Agrae, 
or  Agra,  sacred  to  Artemis  Agrotera  (Huntress),  who  had  a 
temple  there,  embraced  the  district  about  the  Stadium. 
Hiera  Syke,  or  Sacred  Fig  Tree,  lay  just  outside  the  city  on 
the  way  to  Eleusis.  Near  by  was  Sciron,  a region  not  al- 
together reputable.  Colonus  included  the  hill  west  of  the 
Agora.  Hunger  Plain  (Limoupedion)  was  behind  the  Pry- 
taneum,  probably  on  the  north  slope  of  the  Acropolis.  The 
situation  of  the  precinct  Eretria  is  unknown.  The  eastern 
extension  of  the  city  founded  by  Hadrian  was  called  New 
Athens,  or  the  Athens  of  Hadrian. 

More  important  than  these  districts  were  the  divisions 
of  the  city  into  demes  (Fig.  262),  corresponding  in  a measure 
with  American  wards.  The  problems  involved  in  deter- 
mining the  limits  of  the  demes  are  complicated  and  do  not 
demand  attention  here.  Coele,  as  we  have  seen  (p.  23), 
was  the  Hollow  in  the  rear  of  the  Pnyx  hills.  North  of 
Coele  was  Melite,  which  embraced  the  hilly  region  west 
of  the  Agora.  Besides  numerous  public  buildings,  Melite 
contained  the  residences  of  many  prominent  citizens,  among 
them  Themistocles,  Phocion,  Epicurus,  and  Callias.  Cera- 
meicus,  the  Potters’  Quarter,  included  the  Agora  and  the 
territory  northwest,  even  beyond  the  city  wall,  which  ac- 
cordingly divided  the  deme  into  two  parts,  Outer  and  Inner 
Cerameicus.  A shaft  of  Hymettian  marble  set  up  against 


SITUATION  AND  NATURAL  ENVIRONMENT  27 


the  wall  outside  of  the  Dipylum  (Fig.  17)  bears  the  inscrip- 
tion in  letters  of  the  second  century  b.c.,  “ boundary  of 
Cerameicus,”  the  only  such  ter- 
minal known.  Outer  Ceramei- 
cus  is  mentioned  by  Thucydides 
(2,  34,  5)  as  “the  most  beautiful 
suburb  of  the  city.”  In  both 
sections  of  the  deme,  public  and 
private  buildings  were  numer- 
ous. Since  the  Agora  was  in- 
cluded in  the  deme,  the  terms 
ft  Cerameicus  ” and  “ Agora  ” 
were  used  by  late  writers  with- 
out distinction  of  meaning 
(p.  82). 

Beyond  those  which  have 
been  mentioned,  there  is  little 
certainty  in  the  location  of  the 
demes.  Colly tus  was  one  of  the 
favorite  quarters  of  the  city ; it 
bordered  on  Melite  and  prob- 
ably extended  south  of  the 
Areopagus  and  the  Acropolis. 

Aeschines  and  Diogeiton  are  said 
to  have  lived  in  Collytus,  and  the  street  of  the  same  name 
that  ran  through  the  deme  is  reported  to  have  been  a 
veritable  bazaar.  Tertullian  (De  anima  20)  gravely  asserts 
that  boys  learned  to  talk  a month  earlier  in  Collytus  than 
elsewhere,  but  the  statement  doubtless  came  from  the  witti- 
cism of  some  comic  poet,  who,  as  has  been  suggested,  may 
have  attributed  such  precocity  to  the  deme  because  of  the 
proximity  of  the  orators’  bema  on  the  Pnyx.  If  Collytus 
was  south,  then  Cydathenaeum  perhaps  extended  north 


Fig.  17.  — Boundary  stone  of 
the  deme  of  Cerameicus, 
near  the  Dipylum. 

The  stone  bears  the  inscription : 
op  os  Kepap.ei/cov. 


28 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


of  the  Acropolis  to  the  Eridanus,  on  whose  bank  may  have 
been  the  tannery  of  Cleon,  a Cydathenaean.  Scambonidae 
may  have  been  north  of  the  Eridanus. 

Of  the  demes  outside  the  wall,  Laciadae  was  at  the  north- 
west along  the  Sacred  Way,  and  contained  a precinct  of 
the  Hero  Lacius.  Ceiriadae  lay  to  the  west  of  Melite  and 
included  the  Barathrum  (p.  17).  Diomeia  was  probably 
southeast  of  the  city  (p.  65),  and  embraced  the  Cynosarges. 
Ancyle  included  the  district  of  Agrae  and  the  Stadium. 
Agryle  lay  to  the  east  of  the  city.  Peiraeus  and  Phalerum 
were  south ; they  will  be  discussed  at  greater  length  later 
on  (pp.  383  ff.).  Only  one  other  deme  need  be  mentioned, 
that  of  Colonus,  which  included  the  famous  hill  of  Colon  us 
Hippius  (pp.  379  ff.),  a mile  north  of  the  city,  and  probably 
the  Academy.  Whether  or  not  the  Colonus  in  the  city  was 
a separate  deme,  is  a moot  point. 

The  various  demes  in  the  city,  like  those  scattered  as 
villages  throughout  Attica,  were  political  subdivisions  of 
the  ten  tribes  as  organized  by  Cleisthenes. 


CHAPTER  II 


Historical  Sketch 

Along  with  the  proud  claim  that  they  were  autochthonous, 
the  Athenians  preserved  a distinct  tradition  of  an  original 
race  of  Pelasgians  driven  out  by  later  Ionians.  The  excava- 
tions of  the  last  generation  have  shown  that  this  tradition 
contains  more  than  a kernel  of  truth.  The  Pelasgians  are 
perhaps  to  be  identified  with  the  Mycenaean  race,  which,  as 
we  now  know,  reached  a high  stage  of  civilization  in  Greece, 
as  well  as  the  islands  and  coasts  of  the  eastern  Mediterra- 
nean, and  was  displaced  before  the  beginning  of  the  first 
millennium  before  Christ  by  an  Achaean  people,  coming  we 
know  not  whence.  From  the  Achaeans  the  Athenians  of 
history  were  sprung.  A considerable  admixture  of  Oriental 
influence  may  indicate  that  the  tradition  of  an  Egyptian 
Cecrops  as  the  city’s  founder  is  something  besides  a myth. 

Of  the  early  Mycenaean  settlement  we  have  material 
evidence  in  the  ruins  of  the  strong  wall,  the  Pelasgicum, 
or  Pelargicum,  that  encompassed  the  Acropolis  (pp.  48  ff.), 
and  the  numerous  remains  of  houses  of  Cyclopean  masonry 
that  once  crowned  the  hill.  We  can  even  locate  the  palace 
of  the  old  Mycenaean  lord  — be  he  Cecrops  or  Pandion  or 
Erechtheus  — near  the  middle  of  the  north  side  of  the 
Acropolis  (p.  312) ; his  retainers  had  their  houses  at  its  foot. 

The  history  of  this  early  period  was  soon  veiled  in  myth, 
and  the  facts  were  forgotten  by  the  Athenians  of  the  classi- 
cal age.  Writing  centuries  later,  when  Athens  is  at  the 


29 


3° 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


zenith  of  her  power,  Thucydides  (2,  15)  tries  on  archaeo- 
logical grounds  to  determine  the  outlines  of  the  city  which 
succeeded  the  first  settlement,  or,  as  he  calls  it,  “The  city 
before  Theseus.”  “Before  his  time,”  says  the  historian, 
“ the  city  consisted  of  what  is  now  the  Acropolis  and  the  land 
which  lies  at  its  foot  and  faces,  in  a general  way,  toward 
the  south.  The  evidence  is  as  follows : The  sanctuaries 
in  the  Acropolis  belong  also  to  other  gods,”  — that  is,  be- 
sides Athena,  the  presiding  deity  of  the  Acropolis,  — “and 
those  outside  are  situated  more  towards  this  part  of  the  city, 
as,  the  sanctuary  of  Olympian  Zeus,  the  Pythium,  the 
sanctuary  of  Earth,  and  that  of  Dionysus  in  the  Marshes, 
in  whose  honor  the  older  Dionysia  are  celebrated  on  the 
twelfth  of  the  month  Anthesterion,  as  the  Ionians  descended 
from  the  Athenians  still  keep  up  the  custom;  and  other 
sanctuaries  are  also  situated  here.  And  the  fountain 
which  now,  since  the  tyrants  so  reconstructed  it,  is  called 
Nine-spouts  (Enneacrunus),  but  long  ago,  when  the  natural 
springs  were  visible,  was  named  Fair-flowing  (Callirrhoe), 
this,  because  it  was  near  at  hand,  they  used  for  the  most 
important  purposes,  and  even  to-day  the  custom  is  kept 
up  of  using  its  water  before  weddings  and  for  other  holy 
rites.  On  account  of  the  old  settlement  there,  the  Athe- 
nians up  to  the  present  time  call  the  Acropolis  Polis,”  or 
City. 

This  passage  has  been  much  discussed,  and  the  situation 
of  every  one  of  the  sanctuaries  that  Thucydides  mentions 
has  been  brought  into  question.  But  assuming,  as  seems 
warranted,  that  our  author  has  in  mind  the  sanctuaries  best 
known,  we  observe  that  he  names  them  in  their  proper  order 
from  east  to  west  (Fig.  18),  — Olympieum,  Pythium,  sanc- 
tuary of  Earth,  Dionysium,  and  Nine-spouts  (pp.  161  ff. 
and  108  ff .) . The  hoary  antiquity  of  each  of  these  is  beyond 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH 


3i 


a doubt.  Not  one  of  them,  strictly  speaking,  is  south  of 
the  Acropolis,  nor  does  Thucydides  claim  that  they  are ; 
but  the  argument  suffices  to  show  that  the  pre-Thesean 
city  lay  in  this  general  direction. 


OLYMPIEUM 


C2 

PYTHIUM 


Fig.  18.  — The  situation  of  ancient  sanctuaries,  according  to  Thucydides. 


Cecrops  is  said  to  have  divided  Attica  into  twelve  inde- 
pendent states;  Theseus,  to  have  united  it  into  one  king- 
dom, with  Athens  as  its  capital.  This  “synoecism”  of 
Theseus,  or  whoever  accomplished  it,  may  be  put  somewhere 
near  a thousand  years  before  Christ  — tradition  gives  1259 
b.c.  as  the  date  — and  marks  the  beginning  of  Athens’s 
greatness.  We  need  not  linger  further  in  the  misty  period 
of  the  kings,  or  trace  the  gradual  evolution  of  the  democ- 
racy ; our  present  purpose  is  to  sketch  the  material  growth 
of  the  city  rather  than  to  review  her  constitutional  develop- 
ment. The  building  of  new  shrines  for  the  new  divinities 
introduced  from  the  newly  allied  demes  is  the  most  that  we 
can  definitely  ascribe  to  those  remote  times;  of  this  the 
antiquity  of  their  worship  is  sufficient  evidence.  But 


32 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


the  construction  of  other  buildings  must  have  gone  on 
apace,  and  to  an  early  epoch  must  be  attributed  the  Ancient 
Agora,  which  was  near  the  entrance  to  the  Acropolis,  and 
surrounded  by  public  and  private  edifices. 

The  city  rapidly  outgrew  the  narrow  district  south  of 
the  Acropolis  and  the  Areopagus,  and  the  newer  shrines 
were  built  on  their  northern  slopes.  Soon  the  center  of 
the  city’s  life  was  transferred  to  the  valley  north  of  the 
Areopagus,  and  here  the  public  buildings  began  to  be  con- 
structed. 

The  old  Pelargicum  about  the  Acropolis  no  longer  sufficed 
to  protect  the  city,  and  a new  wall  was  built  (pp.  52  ff.), 
following  on  the  west  the  summits  of  the  hills  and  extending 
on  the  south  and  north  to  the  Ilissus  and  Eridanus  rivers. 
Precisely  when  this  wall  was  built  we  do  not  know,  but  it 
seems  to  have  existed  before  the  unsuccessful  attempt  of 
Cylon,  about  630  b.c.,  to  express  the  popular  dislike  of 
Draco’s  laws  and  make  himself  tyrant  of  the  city. 

What  contributions  the  lawgiver  Solon  may  have  made 
to  the  material  development  of  the  city,  we  cannot  tell. 
The  successors  of  Solon,  however,  the  tyrant  Peisistratus 
and  his  family,  set  their  stamp  on  Athenian  architecture. 
To  Peisistratus  is  to  be  credited  the  beginning  of  the  great 
temple  of  Olympian  Zeus  (pp.  162  f.),  which  was  destined 
to  wait  seven  centuries  for  its  completion.  He,  too,  was 
probably  responsible  for  the  system  of  aqueducts  that 
brought  water  from  Hymettus  to  the  ancient  spring  of 
Callirrhoe  and  transformed  it  into  the  elaborate  fountain 
of  Enneacrunus  (pp.  108  ff.).  His  son  Hippias  began  the 
fortification  of  the  hill  Munychia  at  Peiraeus ; his  other  son 
Hipparchus  founded  the  gymnasium  in  the  Academy  (p. 
367) ; and  his  grandson  Peisistratus  dedicated  an  altar  of  the 
Twelve  Gods  at  the  new  center  of  the  city,  where  all  roads 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH 


33 


met  (p.  99),  as  well  as  an  altar  of  Pythian  Apollo  (p.  168) 
near  the  Olympieum. 

The  Acropolis  the  Peisistratids  especially  adorned.  They 
strengthened  and  added  to  its  old  wall,  and  built  an  orna- 
mental Propylum  (p.  226)  at  the  western  entrance.  The 
old  “ hundred-foot”  temple  they  surrounded  with  a peristyle 
and  adorned  with  new  sculpture  (p.  314) ; the  origin  of 
various  other  buildings  and  sculptures  of  the  sacred  hill  was 
due  to  them  or  to  their  inspiration. 

The  artists  whom  the  fame,  or  the  largesses,  of  the  Peisis- 
tratids drew  to  the  city  beautified  it  with  statues  and  other 
works  of  art,  as  the  poets  and  philosophers  whom  they 
attracted  glorified  it  intellectually  and  spiritually.  The 
final  blow  which  made  Peisistratus  master  of  the  state  was 
struck  in  540  b.c.  ; Hippias  was  banished  in  510  b.c.,  his 
brother  having  been  assassinated  four  years  earlier.  The 
half-century  of  the  rule  of  the  “ tyrants”  was  the  first  of 
the  brilliant  periods  in  the  history  of  Athens. 

The  legislation  of  Cleisthenes  followed  close  on  the  banish- 
ment of  Hippias,  and  the  arrested  democracy  began  to 
develop  anew.  The  tyrannicides,  Harmodius  and  Aristo- 
geiton,  who  had  killed  Hipparchus,  were  honored  with  stat- 
ues, by  the  sculptor  An  tenor  (p.  105) ; and  Leaena  (Lioness), 
the  mistress  of  Aristogeiton,  who  under  torture  had  refused 
to  betray  the  other  conspirators,  was  commemorated  in  a 
statue  of  a tongueless  lioness  (p.  253).  The  enthusiastic 
Demus  obliterated  the  inscription  on  the  altar  of  the  Twelve 
Gods,  and  stopped  work  on  the  Olympieum,  but  the  up- 
building of  the  city  by  no  means  ceased.  Statues  of  the 
Namesake  Heroes  of  the  ten  new  tribes  were  set  up  (p.  98) ; 
a bronze  chariot  was  dedicated  on  the  Acropolis  in  honor  of 
a victory  over  the  Boeotians  and  Chalcidians  in  506  b.c. 
(p.  229) ; the  Tholus,  or  Rotunda,  was  built  for  the  pry- 


D 


34 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


tanists  of  the  senate  (p.  98) ; and  probably  a beginning  was 
made  of  the  first  temple  on  the  site  of  the  Parthenon  (p.  272). 
The  accidental  collapse  of  the  wooden  bleachers  during  a 
dramatic  contest  (about  500  b.c.,  p.  192)  led  to  the  construc- 
tion of  the  first  stone  seats  in  the  theater.  During  his 
archonship  (493/ 2 b.c.)  the  astute  Themistocles  began 
the  fortification  of  Peiraeus.  Perhaps  on  his  upright  rival, 
Aristeides,  rested  the  responsibility  of  the  decision  to  use 
marble  instead  of  poros  for  the  Parthenon,  introducing  a 
second  period  in  the  history  of  that  structure  (p.  273). 

Thus  by  the  time  of  the  Persian  Wars  Athens  had  begun 
to  be  a city  of  beauty,  — even  if  it  was  still  so  little  known 
abroad  that  Darius,  the  Persian  king,  after  the  burning  of 
Sardis  could  ask  (Herodotus,  5,  105):  “The  Athenians! 
Who  are  they?”  The  first  Persian  invasion,  which  ended 
disastrously  for  the  invader  at  Marathon,  in  490  b.c., 
brought  only  glory  to  Athens ; but  ten  years  later  Xerxes, 
after  his  costly  victory  at  Thermopylae,  moved  with  all  his 
host  on  the  devoted  city.  A handful  of  Athenians,  not 
persuaded  by  the  plea  of  Themistocles  that  the  Delphic 
advice  to  protect  themselves  behind  a wooden  wall  referred 
to  ships,  barricaded  the  Acropolis,  but  the  Persians  soon 
found  an  ascent,  and  both  Acropolis  and  city  were  at  their 
savage  mercy  (p.  157).  Walls,  temples,  houses,  were  almost 
completely  destroyed.  What  Xerxes  spared,  his  general, 
Mardonius,  the  following  year,  razed  to  the  ground.  The 
old  temple  of  Athena  was  laid  low,  the  partly  finished 
Parthenon  was  burnt  in  scaffold,  statues  were  demolished 
or,  as  in  the  case  of  the  Tyrannicides,  carried  off  to  Susa. 
Athens  was  in  ruins. 

As  soon,  however,  as  the  invaders  had  been  driven  from 
the  land,  the  Athenians  returned  and  began,  with  what  we 
are  wont  to  think  occidental  vigor,  to  rebuild  their  desolated 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH 


35 


city.  Themistocles,  who  had  been  responsible  for  the 
success  at  Salamis,  took  the  lead.  To  meet  the  rising 
jealousy  of  Sparta,  the  first  necessity  was  the  reconstruc- 
tion of  the  wall.  While  Themistocles,  by  clever  diplomacy, 
held  off  the  Spartans,  the  Athenians,  men,  women,  and 
children,  labored  feverishly  at  the  wall,  using  whatever 
material  came  to  hand.  This  task  accomplished,  Themis- 
tocles could  turn  to  his  cherished  scheme  of  fortifying 
Peiraeus  and  her  excellent  harbors,  which  were  to  accommo- 
date the  new  Athenian  navy.  That  project  and  the  con- 
struction of  the  Long  Walls,  which  should  bind  the  city  to 
its  port,  progressed  rapidly. 

Time  did  not  suffice  to  lay  out  a new  plan  for  the  city, 
nor  had  a Hippodamus  (p.  21)  yet  arisen;  so  the  new 
Athens  followed  the  lines  of  the  old,  but  with  far  greater 
magnificence.  On  the  Acropolis  the  Hecatompedum,  or 
1 ‘hundred-foot”  temple,  was  partially  rebuilt,  without  the 
peristyle,  for  a treasury ; the  Propylum  was  restored ; 
the  broken  statues  were  cleared  away  and  were  used  with 
other  material  as  rubbish  to  level  the  surface  of  the  hill ; 
the  wall  was  rebuilt  outside  of  the  old  Pelargicum,  and  in 
its  sides  were  inserted  architectural  remnants  of  the  Heca- 
tompedum and  the  Parthenon ; and  to  commemorate  the 
victory  a colossal  bronze  image  of  Athena  was  erected 
from  Persian  spoils.  In  the  Agora  and  other  parts  of  the 
lower  city  similar  work  went  forward.  Old  buildings,  the 
Royal  Stoa,  the  temple  of  Paternal  Apollo,  the  theater,  and 
others  were  repaired;  new  buildings,  such  as  the  Stoa  of 
the  Zeus  of  Freedom,  were  erected.  To  replace  the  group 
by  Antenor,  new  statues  of  the  Tyrannicides  were  set  up 
beside  the  ancient  Orchestra. 

Under  Cimon,  who  succeeded  to  the  primacy  about  472 
b.c.,  the  work  of  building  continued.  Cimon  carried  for- 


36 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


ward  vigorously  the  construction  of  the  Long  Walls  and 
rebuilt  or  reenforced  the  south  wall  of  the  Acropolis. 
He  planted  plane  trees  about  the  Agora  and  laid  out  the 
Academy  as  a shaded  park ; his  own  magnificent  gardens  he 
threw  open  for  public  use.  The  supposed  bones  of  Theseus, 
which  Cimon  brought  back  from  Scyros,  were  laid  with 
ceremony  in  the  Theseum  near  the  east  side  of  the  Agora 
(p.  15 1).  At  the  north  edge  of  the  Agora  rows  of  herms, 
probably  also  a Hall  of  Herms,  were  set  up  by  Cimon  near 
the  spot  where  his  brother-in-law  Peisianax  built  his  own 
stoa,  which  later  was  adorned  with  paintings  and  came  to  be 
known  as  the  Painted  Porch. 

Athens  reached  the  zenith  of  her  majesty  under  the  ad- 
ministration of  Pericles,  during  approximately  the  third 
quarter  of  the  fifth  century  b.c.  The  administrative 
center  of  the  Delian  Confederacy,  which  was  formed  after 
the  war,  in  order  to  resist  Persia,  was,  in  454  b.c.,  trans- 
ferred from  Delos  to  Athens,  and  Pericles  found  a way 
to  make  its  funds  available  for  beautifying  the  new 
capital. 

The  defensive  policy  of  Themistocles  and  Cimon  was 
approved  and  continued.  The  harbor  of  Peiraeus  was 
supplied  with  an  elaborate  and  costly  system  of  shipsheds 
(pp.  391  ff),  and  the  seaport  town  itself  was  laid  out  regularly 
by  Hippodamus  of  Miletus.  The  Long  Walls  connecting 
Peiraeus  with  Athens  were  finally  completed,  a new  South 
Wall,  parallel  with  the  North  Wall  being  erected  in  place 
of  the  less  direct  Phaleric  Wall. 

The  earliest  of  the  splendid  buildings  of  this  period 
seems  to  have  been  the  Odeum,  or  Music  Hall,  of  Pericles, 
on  the  southeast  slope  of  the  Acropolis.  Its  conical  roof 
is  said  to  have  been  made  of  masts  from  the  ruined  ships  of 
Xerxes  (p.  201).  The  gymnasium  of  the  Lyceum  was  also 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH 


37 


constructed,  and  numerous  other  buildings  in  the  lower 
city,  to  say  nothing  of  scores  of  statues  and  paintings,  of 
which  we  have  only  scanty  knowledge,  or  have  even  lost 
the  names.  But  the  buildings  of  the  Acropolis  are  the  glory 
of  the  age.  Whether  or  not  at  the  outset  Pericles  had 
conceived  a systematic  plan  for  adorning  the  sacred  hill, 
is  still  a moot  question. 

At  about  the  middle  of  the  century,  perhaps  after  the 
battle  of  Oenophyta,  in  457  b.c.,  when  Athens  first 
triumphed  over  her  old  rival,  Sparta,  a decree  was  passed 
providing  for  the  construction  of  the  little  temple  of  Athena 
Victory  on  the  high  bastion  beside  the  entrance  to  the  sacred 
inclosure.  Some  doubt  has  been  entertained  as  to  its 
immediate  erection  (pp.  242  ff.),  but  this  seems  most  likely. 
The  Parthenon,  as  a worthy  home  of  the  city’s  protectress 
Athena,  was  probably  begun  in  447  b.c.  on  the  site  of  the 
building  destroyed  by  the  Persians.  In  438  b.c.  the  temple 
was  ready  for  the  great  gold  and  ivory  statue  of  Athena, 
by  Pheidias,  and  five  or  six  years  later  it  was  completed. 
Built  entirely  of  white  Pentelic  marble,  like  the  majority  of 
the  buildings  of  this  age,  it  was  executed  throughout  with 
extraordinary  painstaking,  and  was  richly  decorated  with 
sculptures,  as  it  would  seem  by  several  of  the  leading 
artists  of  the  day.  On  the  south  the  wall  of  the  Acropolis 
was  increased  in  height  to  support  the  terrace,  which  was 
thus  brought  to  a level  with  the  rock  on  the  north  side  and 
afforded  a wide  promenade  about  the  temple. 

The  Propylaea,  designed  to  extend  quite  across  the  west 
end  of  the  hill,  were  begun  in  437  b.c.,  and  were  brought  al- 
most to  completion  at  a cost,  so  it  is  said,  of  2012  talents, 
or  about  $2,400,000,  in  only  five  years  ; the  opposition  of  the 
priests  of  Athena  Victory  and  of  Artemis  Brauronia,  and 
perhaps  the  troublous  times  preceding  the  Peloponnesian 


38 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


War,  effected  a curtailment  of  the  plan,  so  that  the  Propylaea 
were  never  wholly  finished  (p.  236). 

Still,  serious  as  was  the  effect  of  the  war,  building  opera- 
tions were  by  no  means  wholly  suspended.  Some  work 
continued,  and  the  peace  of  Nicias,  commencing  in  421  b.c., 
seems  to  have  been  accompanied  by  a special  revival  of 
building  interest.  The  Erechtheum,  not  improbably  also 
a conception  of  Pericles,  was  apparently  begun  on  the 
cessation  of  hostilities.  Work  proceeded  somewhat  slowly, 
and  the  building  was  still  unfinished,  though  near  comple- 
tion, in  409  b.c.  On  Colonus  Agoraeus  the  Hephaesteum, 
or  “Theseum,”  as  for  several  centuries  it  has  wrongly  been 
called,  seems  to  have  been  ready  in  421  b.c.  for  the  statues 
of  Hephaestus  and  Athena,  by  Alcamenes.  In  420  b.c.  a 
private  citizen,  Telemachus,  founded  on  the  south  slope 
of  the  Acropolis  a sanctuary  of  Asclepius  and  Hygieia. 
At  about  the  same  time  a new  temple  of  Dionysus  was  built, 
perhaps  by  the  famous  general  Nicias,  near  the  theater,  and 
provided  with  a gold  and  ivory  statue,  by  Alcamenes. 
Numerous  minor  buildings  and  statues  belong  to  the  same 
period. 

Eventually,  however,  the  war  sapped  the  strength  of  the 
city.  The  plague  which  followed  the  overcrowding  of  the 
first  years  of  the  contest  so  reduced  the  population  that 
Cleon  secured  the  contraction  of  the  wall  on  the  southwest. 
Meanwhile  came  the  erection  of  new  fortifications  at 
Peiraeus  and  on  Museum  Hill,  soon  followed  by  their  over- 
throw. The  mutilation  of  the  herms  before  the  Sicilian 
Expedition  was  an  augury  of  the  later  destruction,  by 
Athenians  themselves,  of  many  votive  offerings  of  metal, 
and  the  transformation  of  them  into  bullion.  Finally,  the 
Peloponnesian  War  and  the  fifth  century  closed  with  the 
demolition,  by  the  Spartans,  of  the  wall  of  Peiraeus  and  a 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH 


39 


large  part  of  the  Long  Walls,  and  with  the  ruin  of  the  ship- 
sheds,  the  remains  of  which  were  later  sold  by  the  Thirty 
for  three  talents. 

The  restoration  of  the  democracy,  as  the  fourth  century 
was  about  to  begin,  was  again  accompanied  by  the  impulse 
to  rebuild  and  improve.  As  early  as  395  b.c.  work  began 
on  the  walls,  and  it  was  carried  forward  with  fresh  vigor 
after  the  return  of  Conon  with  spoils  from  his  victory  at 
Cnidus.  Rebuilt  of  solid  stone,  these  are  in  the  main  the 
walls  which  survive  to-day.  At  Peiraeus  Conon  reared  a 
temple  of  Cnidian  Aphrodite  in  honor  of  his  victory,  and 
in  the  upper  city  his  services,  and  those  of  his  son,  were 
rewarded  with  statues  in  the  Agora  and  on  the  Acropolis. 
Presently  the  fleet  was  strengthened  and  the  shipsheds 
reconstructed  in  much  their  former  condition.  No  ex- 
tensive building  operations  were  undertaken  in  the  first 
half  of  the  century,  but  sculptors  and  painters,  Cephisodotus, 
Praxiteles,  Scopas,  Euphranor,  Parrhasius,  and  others, 
vied  with  one  another  in  the  beautifying  of  former  build- 
ings. Statues  and  other  memorials  were  set  up  of  divini- 
ties, of  distinguished  Athenians,  and  of  foreign  patrons 
of  the  city. 

During  the  brilliant  regime  of  the  orator  Lycurgus,  from 
338  to  about  325  b.c.,  a new  revival  of  building  commenced. 
The  walls  were  again  repaired,  the  shipsheds  were  increased 
in  number,  and  the  magnificent  Arsenal  of  Philo  (p.  393)  was 
erected  in  Peiraeus.  In  Athens  the  Dionysiac  Theater 
(pp.  192  ff.)  was  completely  rebuilt  in  stone ; the  Stadium  was 
laid  out  and  excavated  (p.  175)  south  of  the  Ilissus;  a new 
double  gate,  the  Dipylum,  took  the  place  of  the  oldThriasian 
Gate,  at  the  end  of  the  thoroughfare  from  Peiraeus  (pp.  63  f .) ; 
the  Lyceum  was  furnished  with  a palaestra  and  planted 
anew  with  trees.  Besides  larger  works,  Lycurgus  is  said 


40 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


to  have  ‘‘embellished  the  whole  city  with  many  other 
structures.” 

After  the  battle  of  Granicus,  in  334  b.c.,  Alexander  the 
Great  sent  to  Athens  three  hundred  sets  of  Persian  armor, 
in  which  were  included  the  shields  afterwards  used  to  adorn 
the  architrave  of  the  Parthenon ; and  he  and  his  wife  and 
mother  made  other  gifts  to  the  city. 

Meanwhile,  though  the  population  was  depleted,  increas- 
ing commerce  had  augmented  individual  fortunes  and 
encouraged  luxury.  Private  houses  became  more  magnifi- 
cent (p.  23),  and  display  more  common.  The  entire 
street  of  Tripods,  about  the  east  end  of  the  Acropolis,  was 
lined  with  private  monuments  for  the  exhibition  of  tripods 
set  up  by  men  who  had  won  choragic  victories  (p.  180). 
Cemeteries,  too,  were  adorned  with  elaborate  gravestones. 
Indeed,  this  species  of  luxury  was  carried  so  far  that  in  317 
b.c.  Demetrius  of  Phalerum  issued  an  order  to  limit  such 
display  (p.  23).  On  the  whole  the  period  of  Lycurgus 
must  have  surpassed  in  splendor,  if  not  in  dignity,  even 
the  Age  of  Pericles. 

In  322  b.c.  Athens  was  forced  to  bow  her  neck  to  the 
yoke  of  Macedon,  and  received  the  garrison  of  Antipater 
into  the  fort  on  Munychia.  The  long  period  which  follows 
is  in  the  main  one  of  reminiscent  glory.  The  alternate 
repair  and  decay  of  the  walls  bear  witness  to  the  vacillating 
and  declining  spirit  of  the  Athenians,  now  fast  approaching 
servility;  the  fact  that  room  could  be  found  within  the 
walls  for  extensive  gymnasia  and  spacious  gardens,  like  those 
of  Epicurus,  indicates  a decline  in  population.  Now  subject, 
now  nominally  free,  the  city  was  politically  insignificant, 
though  increasingly  renowned  as  a center  of  culture. 

Athens  was  soon  involved  in  the  struggle  between  Cas- 
sander  and  Polyperchon ; and  in  honor  of  the  victory  of 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH 


4i 


Pleistarchus,  Cassander’s  brother  and  proxy,  a trophy  was 
erected  upon  a gateway  in  the  Agora  (p.  125).  Cassander 
put  the  city  into  the  hands  of  Demetrius  of  Phalerum,  who 
maintained  a status  of  peace,  but  contributed  little  to  the 
city’s  material  growth.  The  obsequious  people  set  up  no 
fewer  than  three  hundred  and  sixty  statues  of  Demetrius 
in  Athens  and  Attica,  but  after  his  withdrawal  all  save  one 
of  these  were  destroyed.  In  307  b.c.  Demetrius  Poliorcetes 
(Sacker  of  Cities)  was  set  over  the  city  by  his  father  An  tig- 
onus.  Both  father  and  son  were  promptly  enrolled  as 
Namesake  Heroes  of  new  tribes  and  their  statues  erected 
beside  those  of  the  other  Eponymi  (p.  98).  Gilded  statues 
of  the  two  men  were  also  set  up  near  the  Tyrannicides,  a 
place  long  held  almost  sacred.  Five  years  later  the  city’s 
despot  was  the  impecunious  Lachares,  who  robbed  the 
Parthenon  of  all  available  gold  and  silver,  even  trying, 
apparently  without  success,  to  carry  off  the  gold  sheathing 
of  the  great  statue  of  Pheidias. 

Ptolemy  Philadelphus  (285-247  b.c.)  was  the  first  of 
the  so-called  foreign  benefactors  of  the  city.  The  Ptole- 
maeum  which  he  built  near  the  Agora  was  the  earliest 
extensive  gymnasium  erected  within  the  walls.  Under 
Egyptian  influence  a temple  of  the  divinity  Serapis  was 
built  north  of  the  Acropolis.  In  return  for  his  favors 
Ptolemy  also  was  made  the  eponymous  hero  of  another  new 
tribe,  and  his  statue  was  set  up  with  the  other  Eponymi. 
In  229  b.c.  the  Diogeneum,  in  honor  of  Diogenes,  another 
Macedonian  lord,  was  built  east  of  the  Agora.  The  interest 
of  other  Egyptian  and  Macedonian  benefactors  followed. 

During  the  same  period  the  Pergamene  monarchs  also 
began  to  do  homage  to  the  ancient  city.  Attalus  I (241- 
197  b.c.)  dedicated  several  groups  of  statues  on  the  Acropolis 
(pp.  308  f.)  and  was  made  a Namesake  Hero.  Eumenes, 


42 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


his  brother  (i 97-1 59  b.c.),  erected  the  long  and  elaborate 
stoa  west  of  the  theater.  Attalus  II  (159-138  b.c.)  reared 
a magnificent  stoa  in  the  form  of  a bazaar  on  the  east  edge 
of  the  Agora.  As  thank  offerings  the  Athenians  raised  for 
Eumenes  and  Attalus  two  colossal  statues. 

In  200  b.c.  Philip  V of  Macedon  attempted  to  force  his 
way  into  the  city,  but  was  resisted  successfully  (p.  64). 
In  revenge  he  devastated  Cynosarges,  the  Lyceum,  the 
Academy,  and  other  places  outside  the  walls;  and  the 
Athenians  fatuously  retaliated  by  destroying  all  the  statues 
of  Philip  and  his  ancestors  which  were  in  the  city. 

The  Syrian  king  Antiochus  IV  Epiphanes  (175-164  b.c.) 
undertook  to  complete  the  temple  of  Olympian  Zeus,  which 
had  stood  unfinished  for  several  centuries,  but  he  died 
before  his  task  was  done  (p.  163).  He  also  presented  the 
city  with  a gilded  head  of  Medusa,  which  was  affixed  to 
the  south  wall  of  the  Acropolis  as  an  “averter  of  evil.” 

Athens  had  come  under  the  pervading  influence  of  Rome 
long  before  the  crushing  blow  dealt  by  Mummius,  in  146 
b.c.,  brought  Greece  finally  under  Roman  sway.  The 
city’s  ready  submission  gave  her  half  a century  of  peace. 
Of  this  period  we  know  little.  A bema  for  Roman  orators 
in  front  of  the  Stoa  of  Attalus  is  mentioned ; and  to  this  time 
may  perhaps  be  ascribed  the  removal  of  the  Prytaneum  to 
its  new  site  north  of  the  Acropolis. 

Unfortunately,  however,  the  city  was  soon  inveigled  into 
taking  part  in  the  war  waged  by  Mithridates,  king  of  Pon- 
tus,  against  the  Romans.  Sulla,  ruthless  avenger,  appeared 
before  the  gates.  The  siege,  during  which  the  Academy 
and  Lyceum  were  again  laid  waste,  ended  on  March  1, 
86  b.c.,  when  Sulla  succeeded  in  making  a breach  in  the 
wall  between  the  Sacred  and  Peiraic  gates.  The  devasta- 
tion which  followed  was  surpassed  only  by  that  of  Xerxes 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH 


43 


four  centuries  earlier.  For  a time  the  Acropolis  held  out 
under  the  leadership  of  the  demagogue  Aristion,  but  it  was 
taken  and  plundered.  Either  Sulla  or  Aristion  burned  the 
Odeum  of  Pericles ; several  columns  of  the  unfinished 
Olympieum  and  numerous  works  of  art  were  taken  away  for 
shipment  to  Rome ; many  public  buildings  were  looted 
and  demolished.  Peiraeus,  which  soon  yielded,  suffered  a 
fate  even  worse.  Much  of  the  city,  including  the  Arsenal 
of  Philo,  the  docks,  and  the  shipsheds,  was  burned.  The 
walls  of  Peiraeus  and  the  Long  Walls  were  laid  in  ruins. 

Henceforward  Athens  became  more  and  more  Roman  in 
character.  She  did  not  lack  later  benefactors,  but  most 
of  them  were  Romans.  Pompey  gave  the  city  fifty  talents 
for  the  restoration  of  public  buildings.  The  Cappadocian 
king  Ariobarzanes  rebuilt  the  Odeum  of  Pericles.  Cicero’s 
wealthy  friend  Atticus  made  the  city  his  home  and  enriched 
it  with  gifts,  but  seems  to  have  made  no  additions  to  its 
buildings.  Cicero  himself  planned  to  build  a festal  gateway 
to  the  Academy,  but  did  not  execute  his  design.  When 
Brutus  visited  the  city  after  the  assassination  of  Caesar, 
the  people  enthusiastically  dedicated  statues  of  Brutus 
and  Cassius  beside  those  of  the  old  Tyrannicides ; but  these 
cannot  have  stood  long,  for  Antony’s  arrival  a little  later 
was  the  signal  for  a transfer  of  obsequious  homage.  The 
colossi  of  Eumenes  and  Attalus  were  reinscribed  as  statues  of 
Antony,  and  even  cult  statues  of  Antony  and  Cleopatra 
were  erected  on  the  Acropolis.  The  colossi  were  blown 
down  by  a tempest  just  before  the  battle  of  Actium  — an 
evil  omen  ! 

Augustus  was  very  friendly  to  Athens,  and  his  reign 
brought  many  new  buildings  to  the  city.  The  most  impor- 
tant of  these  was  the  large  and  ornate  market  built  to  the 
east  of  the  Agora  and  adorned  with  statues  of  the  Julian 


44 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


family  (pp.  136  ff.).  The  emperor’s  general,  Agrippa,  was 
honored  with  a lofty  equestrian  monument  at  the  entrance 
to  the  Acropolis  (p.  238),  and  east  of  the  Parthenon  a small 
round  temple  was  reared  to  Rome  and  Augustus  (pp.  310  f.). 
A plan  was  formed  by  various  eastern  kings  to  finish  the 
Olympieum  in  honor  of  Augustus,  but  it  came  to  naught. 

The  first  century  and  a half  of  the  Christian  era  were 
marked  by  the  continued  good-will  of  Rome  and  the 
erection  of  countless  statues  in  the  honor  of  distinguished 
Romans,  but  only  a few  buildings  were  constructed.  Nero’s 
stay  at  Athens  was  accompanied  by  a rebuilding  of  the 
stage  of  the  theater  (p.  198),  by  the  placing  of  a long  inscrip- 
tion on  the  front  of  the  Parthenon  (p.  303),  and  by  various 
dedicatory  offerings.  A certain  Diodes  repaired  the  temple 
and  precinct  of  Asclepius.  A conspicuous  monument  was 
erected  (114-116  a.d.)  on  Museum  Hill  to  Gaius  Julius 
Antiochus  Philopappus  of  Commagene  in  Syria.  And  at 
some  time  during  the  period  a broad  flight  of  marble  steps 
was  constructed  leading  up  to  the  entrance  of  the 
Acropolis. 

Of  all  the  kingly  or  imperial  patrons  of  Athens,  however, 
Hadrian  was  the  most  beneficent  and  the  most  lavish.  He 
showed  his  favor  by  repeated  and  protracted  residence  in 
the  city.  His  reign  was  “a  last  bright  gleam  from  the 
west  after  a murky  afternoon  and  before  the  descent  of 
the  long  twilight  and  the  still  longer  hopeless  night.”  1 An 
entire  new  quarter,  New  Athens  or  the  Athens  of  Hadrian, 
was  laid  out  on  the  east  side  of  the  city  and  filled  with  villas, 
baths,  and  dwellings.  The  wall  was  extended  to  surround 
this  area,  and  a triumphal  gateway  erected  on  the  line 
between  the  old  city  and  the  new.  At  last  the  great  temple 
begun  by  Peisistratus  seven  centuries  before  was  completed 
1 Wachsmuth,  Die  Stadt  Athen , I,  686. 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH 


45 


and  dedicated  by  the  emperor  himself,  in  130  a.d.,  to 
Olympian  Zeus ; while  the  large  area  about  the  temple  was 
leveled,  walled,  and  filled  with  altars  and  statues.  North 
of  the  Acropolis  were  built  the  spacious  Stoa  and  Library  of 
Hadrian  (pp.  145  ff.) ; elsewhere  were  erected  a temple  of 
Hera  and  Panhellenian  Zeus,  a Pantheon,  and  a gymnasium  ; 
but  of  these  we  know  little  mofe  than  the  names.  In  the 
theater  (p.  199)  an  imperial  box  was  made,  and  statues  were 
set  up  in  each  of  the  wedge-shaped  divisions  of  seats. 

The  work  of  restoration  and  improvement  continued  un- 
der Antoninus  Pius  and  Marcus  Aurelius  ; the  former  com- 
pleted the  aqueduct  begun  by  Hadrian  to  supply  the  city 
with  water  from  Pentelicus.  Under  the  Antonines  the  most 
generous  benefactor  was  Tiberius  Claudius  Herodes  Atticus 
of  Marathon.  In  addition  to  various  minor  structures  he 
rebuilt  the  Stadium  and  seated  i t with  white  marble  (p.175); 
and,  in  honor  of  his  wife  Regilla,  who  died  about  161  a.d., 
he  erected  the  magnificent  Odeum  at  the  southwest  corner 
of  the  Acropolis.  On  the  hill  at  one  side  of  the  Stadium 
Herodes  dedicated  a temple  of  Fortune.  His  tomb  is  said 
to  have  been  “in  the  Stadium.” 

The  buildings  of  Herodes  Atticus  were  the  last  of  impor- 
tance erected  in  the  ancient  city.  We  read  of  a fort  and  of  a 
new  statue  of  Pallas  in  the  Palladium  on  the  Acropolis, 
of  two  new  pylons,  and  of  some  last  repairs  to  the  stage  of 
the  theater  by  a man  named  Phaedrus,  but  of  no  conspicu- 
ous buildings.  The  city  became  still  more  popular,  how- 
ever, as  a university  town,  a gymnasium  Musarum , as 
Symmachus  calls  it,  to  which  came  throngs  of  youths 
from  all  parts  of  the  world.  The  professors  are  said  to  have 
lectured  in  small  theaters,  some  of  which  were  adorned  with 
marble,  but  whether  or  not  these  were  new  buildings,  we 
do  not  know.  Of  the  schools,  such  men  as  Julian  were 


46 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


enthusiastic  supporters.  Sentiment  and  ratiocination, 
rather  than  progress,  marked  the  age. 

After  the  period  of  stagnation  came  decay.  A horde  of 
Costobocs,  which  invaded  Greece,  seems  not  to  have  reached 
the  city,  but  in  267  a.d.  the  barbarian  Heruli  captured 
Athens  and  Peiraeus ; apparently  they  withdrew  without 
doing  serious  damage.  Near  the  end  of  the  fourth  century 
of  our  era  a proconsul  removed  the  pictures  of  the  Painted 
Porch,  and  in  396  a.d.  Alaric  and  the  Goths  occupied  the  city, 
though  again  without  great  harm.  But  to  Constantinople, 
the  new  capital  of  the  eastern  empire,  Athens  began  to  yield 
up  her  works  of  art  in  increasing  numbers.  About  the  time 
of  Theodosius  II  (408-450  a.d.)  even  the  chryselephantine 
statue  of  the  Parthenon  was  among  the  spoils.  The  great 
bronze  statue  of  Athena  Promachus  (pp.  343  ff.)  must  have 
been  carried  off  about  the  time  of  Justinian  (527-565  a.d.), 
who  took  much  other  booty  for  his  new  church  of  Hagia 
Sophia  (Holy  Wisdom).  The  attitude  of  the  world  to- 
ward heathendom  was  changing,  and  the  edict  of  Theo- 
dosius I forbidding  sacrifices  to  heathen  gods  had  been  only 
the  expression  of  a general  revolt  against  the  old  religion 
and  its  votaries.  In  529  a.d.  Justinian  finally  closed  the 
schools  of  philosophy.  The  temples  had  previously  begun 
to  be  changed  into  Christian  churches;  the  Parthenon,  for 
example,  into  the  shrine  of  Holy  Wisdom  (p.  303),  the 
Hephaesteum  into  that  of  Saint  George  (p.  119).  Athens 
itself  became  a provincial  bishopric,  and  from  the  sixth  to 
the  twelfth  centuries  almost  disappears  from  history.  The 
decay  of  the  ancient  buildings  continued  unchecked,  and 
letters  of  the  twelfth  century  written  by  Archbishop  Michael 
Akominatos  speak  of  the  city  as  being  in  a sad  state  of  ruin. 

In  1204  the  Crusaders  captured  Constantinople;  Athens 
was  at  once  turned  over  to  Otho  de  la  Roche,  and  it  re- 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH 


47 


mained  under  the  Dukes  for  the  next  century.  In  13 11  the 
duchy  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Catalan  mercenaries.  The 
Florentine  Nerio  Acciajuoli  became  duke  in  1387,  and  he 
and  his  successors  ruled  until  1456,  when  Athens  was  cap- 
tured, after  a desperate  struggle,  by  Omar  and  the  Turks. 
Turkish  rule  continued  with  slight  interruptions  for  nearly 
four  hundred  years,  or  until  the  revolution,  which  began 
in  1821.  By  the  end  of  the  sixteenth  century  the  popula- 
tion was  reduced  to  12,000,  and  at  the  close  of  the  Turkish 
regime  to  a few  hundreds. 

Under  the  Turks  the  devastation  grew  ever  worse.  In 
1656,  according  to  Spon,  the  Propylaea  were  struck  by 
lightning  and  blown  up  by  powder  stored  there.  The 
Erechtheum  had  been  turned  into  a harem,  and  was  par- 
tially built  over  with  rough  walls.  The  temple  of  Wingless 
Victory  was  torn  down,  that  its  blocks  might  be  used  to 
strengthen  the  fortification  of  the  Acropolis.  In  1687  the 
Venetian  bombardment  laid  in  ruins  the  Parthenon.  The 
angry  Turks,  returning  the  following  year,  burned  the  city 
around  the  Acropolis.  At  the  opening  of  the  nineteenth 
century  Lord  Elgin  carried  away  many  of  the  remaining 
sculptures  of  the  Parthenon  and  some  other  marbles.  And 
during  all  these  centuries  the  buildings  of  the  ancient  city 
had  served  as  stone  quarries,  while  the  statues,  of  bronze 
or  marble,  save  the  few  that  the  friendly  earth  concealed, 
were  thrown  into  the  melting  furnace  or  the  limekiln. 

In  1833  Turks  finally  withdrew,  and  the  next  year 
Athens  became  the  capital  of  the  new  kingdom  of  Greece. 
The  mournful  era  of  destruction  was  at  an  end ; the  period 
of  conservation  of  ancient  monuments  soon  began. 


Fig.  19.  — Building  of  the  wall  of  the  Pelargicum;  vase  painting. 


CHAPTER  III 

Walls  and  Gates 

THE  PELARGICUM 

The  earliest  settlement  of  Athens  on  the  summit  of  the 
Acropolis  was  surmounted  by  a defensive  wall,  the  Pelas- 
gicum,  or  Pelargicum.  The  name  Pelasgicum  probably 
has  reference  to  the  “Pelasgian”  settlers.  Indeed,  we  are 
informed  by  Herodotus  (6,  137)  and  others  that  this  people 
constructed  the  wall  (Fig.  19),  while  Pausanias  (1,  28,  3) 
adds  the  names  of  the  builders,  Agrolas  and  Hyperbius 
(and  Euryalus?).  But  we  cannot  place  much  credence  in 
the  story;  the  resemblance  of  names  may  have  inspired 
the  tradition.  At  any  rate,  the  form  Pelargicum  is  pre- 
ferred in  inscriptions  of  the  fifth  century  and  is  found  in  the 
best  manuscripts  of  Thucydides  and  Aristophanes.  Its 
derivation  is  uncertain.  In  his  Birds  (v.  832)  Aristophanes 
plays  upon  the  likeness  of  the  name  to  pelargos,  or  “ crane, ” 
and  it  may  be  that  “ Crane’s  Nest”  was  the  original  name 
of  the  citadel. 

Portions  of  this  primitive  wall  are  still  extant  in  various 
parts  of  the  Acropolis,  and  from  these  and  the  literary 

48 


WALLS  AND  GATES 


49 


references  we  are  enabled  to  learn  its  structure  and  to  trace 
much  of  its  course  (Fig.  20).  The  most  conspicuous  sec- 
tion now  remaining  is  just  south  of  the  Propylaea  (Fig.  21). 
This  is  nearly  60  feet  long  and  20  feet  thick.  It  is  of  Cyclo- 
pean style,  having  an  outer  and  an  inner  face  of  Acropolis 
limestone,  the  space  between  being  filled  with  rubble  and 
earth.  The  stones  vary  greatly  in  size ; some  of  them 


The  restoration  of  the  Enneapylum,  or  out-work  at  the  west  of  the  Acropolis,  is  almost 
wholly  conjectural. 

are  enormous.  They  are  rough-hewn,  with  the  smoother 
face  outside,  the  interstices  being  filled  with  the  smaller 
stones.  The  greatest  height  at  present  is  about  10  feet, 
on  the  west  face ; the  east  face  has  almost  disappeared. 
Where  it  abuts  on  this  wall,  the  corner  of  the  Propylaea  has 
been  cut  off  diagonally,  to  the  top  of  the  building;  this 
suggests  the  inference  that  the  wall  here  was  more  than 
30  feet  high  (cf.  pp.  57  f.). 

Turning  abruptly  toward  the  east  (Fig.  20),  the  wall 


50 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


followed  the  contour  of  the  rock,  but  considerably  inside 
the  later  wall,  so  as  to  avoid,  certain  clefts.  The  short 
stretch  before  the  turn  may  be  of  later  construction,  and 
the  next  portion  is  near  the  southwest  corner  of  the  Parthe- 
non. This  latter  piece  was  discovered  by  the  excavators 
of  the  hill  and  is  still  visible  in  a pit  left  open  for  the  purpose. 

From  this  point  fragments  of  the  wall  are  found  up  to  the 
front  of  the  Acropolis  Museum,  where  begins  a great  loop 
that  extends  under  the  museum  and  then  about  the  south- 


Fig.  21.  — Portion  of  the  wall  of  the  Pelargicum  at  the  west  end  of  the 

Acropolis. 

In  the  rear  is  the  Parthenon. 

east  corner  (Fig.  2)  of  the  Acropolis.  From  this  point  the 
course  is  conjectural.  The  north  side  of  the  Acropolis  is 
precipitous,  however,  and  we  may  assume  that  the  wall 
followed  approximately  the  course  of  the  later  wall  to  the 
west  end  of  the  hill. 

Later  constructions  have  obliterated  almost  every  trace  of 
the  wall  at  the  west.  A small  piece  is  buried  in  the  bastion 
on  which  stands  the  temple  of  Wingless  Victory,  but  further 
than  this  we  are  reduced  to  inferences  from  the  character 
of  the  site,  from  the  study  of  similar  walls  at  Mycenae, 
Tiryns,  and  other  places,  and  from  the  literary  evidence. 


WALLS  AND  GATES 


5i 


We  are  told  that  this  end  of  the  Acropolis,  which  was  most 
open  to  assault,  was  defended  by  a great  fortress,  the 
Enneapylum,  or  “ Nine-gates ; ” this  may  be  restored  con- 
jecturally  from  analogy  with  Mycenaean  fortifications,  but 
with  no  certainty  of  correctness  (Fig.  20). 

Whether  or  not  the  highest  opening  in  the  fortress  had 
thus  early  an  ornamental  gateway  cannot  be  determined ; 
judging  from  contemporary  cities,  we  may  guess  that  it  had. 
Though  the  view  is  questioned,  the  probability  is  that  the 
principal  approach  was  always  here.  Other  entrances  were 
few.  A postern  gate  stood  at  the  northeast  corner,  where 
rude  rock-hewn  steps  descend  from  the  ancient  palace. 
Possibly  an  entrance  may  have  existed  near  the  middle  of 
the  north  wall,  where  steps  ascending  from  without  meet 
a flight  of  steps  built  in  the  later  wall.  A passage  may  have 
led  from  the  northwest  corner  to  the  spring  Clepsydra,  but, 
from  the  dearth  of  water  suffered  by  Cylon  when  he  was 
besieged  in  the  Acropolis,  this  seems  doubtful.  The  pre- 
tender Aristion,  in  Sulla’s  time,  experienced  the  same  diffi- 
culty; and  a passage  in  the  Lysistrata  of  Aristophanes 
implies  that  the  Clepsydra  was  outside  the  inclosure. 

How  far  the  wall  extended  eastward  along  the  southern 
slope  of  the  hill  is  uncertain;  fragments  here  which  some 
have  assigned  to  the  Pelargicum  seem  hardly  substantial 
enough,  but  the  question  is  still  open. 

When  the  Pelargicum  is  mentioned  in  later  times,  the 
lower  wall  is  meant.  The  portion  which  survived  the 
Persian  Wars  had  fallen  into  decay,  and  various  laws  were 
passed  to  prevent  the  removal  of  stones  from  the  inclosure 
and  the  mowing  of  grass  there.  The  lower  wall  is  doubt- 
less meant  also  in  the  oracle  mentioned  by  Thucydides 
(2,  17)  in  connection  with  the  crowding  at  the  beginning  of 
the  Peloponnesian  War.  The  advice  of  the  oracle  was, 


52 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


“ the  Pelargicum  would  better  lie  idle ; ” the  historian  adds, 
however,  “Nevertheless,  under  stress  of  the  sudden  neces- 
sity it  was  settled.”  But  the  questions  connected  with 
the  Pelargicum  are  complicated,  and  cannot  be  examined 
at  greater  length  here. 

THE  CIRCULAR  WALL 

How  long  the  Pelargicum  was  the  sole  fortification  of 
Athens  we  have  no  means  of  knowing.  The  view  has 
been  held  by  some  that  the  city  which  spread  out  about  the 
Acropolis  had  no  defensive  wall  before  the  Persian  Wars. 
No  remains  are  extant  of  a city  wall  before  that  of  Themis- 
tocles,  and  we  have  no  direct  information  as  to  its  building ; 
that  none  existed,  however,  seems  inherently  improbable. 
Fortunately  some  scattered  hints  are  found  in  the  his- 
torians which  afford  circumstantial  evidence  as  to  its 
existence. 

Thucydides’s  statement  (i,  126,  6)  that  a feast  of  Zeus  in 
Cylon’s  time  was  held  “outside  of  the  city”  perhaps  is  not 
to  be  pressed,  though  it  is  suggestive  of  definite  city  limits ; 
but  this  historian  gives  us  clearer  information  (6,  57,  1-3) 
in  connection  with  the  conspiracy  against  the  tyrants, 
Hippias  and  Hipparchus.  The  plot  was  to  be  executed  at 
the  great  Panathenaic  festival,  and  Hippias  was  “outside 
in  the  Cerameicus,”  arranging  the  details  of  the  procession. 
Harmodius  and  Aristogeiton,  seeing  one  of  the  conspirators 
conversing  with  Hippias,  supposed  their  plot  betrayed ; 
they  “rushed  inside  the  gates”  and  slew  Hipparchus  near 
the  Leocorium.  The  gates  can  scarcely  be  other  than  those 
of  the  city,  and  were  probably  near  the  north  end  of  the 
later  Agora. 

We  next  hear  of  the  wall  at  the  time  of  the  Persian  Wars. 
The  Delphic  oracle  delivered  to  the  city’s  envoys  before 


WALLS  AND  GATES 


53 


the  battle  of  Salamis  speaks  (Hdt.  7,  140)  of  the  “ wheel- 
shaped city,”  an  appropriate  epithet  of  a walled  town  with 
the  Acropolis  at  its  hub.  We  are  not  told  directly  that  a 
city  wall  was  destroyed  by  Xerxes,  but  such  a calamity  is 
implied  in  the  statement  of  Herodotus  (9,  13)  that  Mardo- 
nius,  the  general  of  Xerxes,  returned  to  Athens  the  following 
year  and  razed  to  the  ground  “whatever  was  left  standing 
anywhere  of  the  walls  or  the  houses  or  the  sanctuaries.” 
Furthermore,  several  remarks  of  Thucydides  indicate  that 
the  wall  of  Themistocles  was  regarded  as  a reconstruction. 
When  the  Athenians  returned  to  their  city,  “they  pre- 
pared,” he  says  (1,89,  3),  “to  rebuild  the  city  and  the  walls ; 
for  small  portions  of  the  inclosure  were  standing  and  the 
majority  of  the  houses  had  fallen ;”  and  elsewhere  (1,  93,  2) 
he  informs  us  that  the  new  “inclosure  of  the  city  was  ex- 
tended larger  on  all  sides.”  These  statements  would  be 
meaningless,  if  the  only  preceding  inclosure  were  the  wall 
of  the  Acropolis.  Again,  a remark  of  Pausanias  (1,  25,  6) 
that  the  Museum  Hill  lay  “inside  the  ancient  inclosure” 
can  with  difficulty  be  explained  of  the  wall  that  existed  in 
his  own  day,  though  the  statement,  to  be  sure,  would  also 
have  been  true  of  that.  And  lastly,  the  law  forbidding 
burial  in  the  city,  a law  that  without  much  doubt  goes  back 
to  the  days  of  Cylon,  seems  to  imply  that  the  city  was 
walled. 

No  sure  remains  of  the  Circular  Wall  are  left,  and  for 
its  course  the  last  remark  quoted  from  Thucydides  and  the 
oracle  chronicled  by  Herodotus  constitute  our  principal 
data ; it  was  wheel-shaped  and  of  less  extent  than  the 
Themistoclean  Wall,  the  course  of  which  can  be  traced. 
On  the  west  and  southwest  the  summits  of  the  hills  were 
probably  followed  nearly  in  the  course  of  the  later  wall. 
The  term  “wheel-shaped”  and  the  view  of  Plato  ( Critias 


54 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


Fig.  22.  — Map  of  the  walls  of  Athens. 


WALLS  AND  GATES 


55 


1 12  a)  that  the  old  city  lay  between  the  Ilissus  and  Eridanus 
rivers  help  us  to  outline  the  remainder  of  the  circuit 
(Fig.  22). 

In  the  southeast  corner  of  the  city  one  point  of  the  wall 
may  perhaps  be  fixed.  Here  the  Roman  emperor  Hadrian 
built  an  elaborate  gateway  (Fig.  23).  Over  the  arch  on  the 
west  face  is  the  in- 
scription: “This  is 
the  Athens  of  The- 
seus, the  former 
city;”  on  the  other 
face  a corresponding 
inscription  reads: 

“This  is  the  city  of 
Hadrian,  not  of  The- 
seus.” The  hypoth- 
esis is  reasonable 
that  Hadrian  built 
the  gateway  on  the 
line  of  the  old  wall, 
parts  of  which  may 
have  been  left  in  his  day,  although  some  think  that  the  gate 
was  in  line  with  the  Themistoclean  Wall.  A gate  at  the 
north  end  of  the  Agora  has  been  mentioned  (p.  41).  The 
suggestion  that  this  still  existed  in  the  time  of  Pausanias 
and  was  identical  with  a triumphal  arch  which  he  names  is 
plausible,  but  cannot  be  proved. 

Nothing  is  known  of  the  construction  of  the  Circular  Wall. 
Very  likely  it  was  made  of  sun-dried  bricks  with  a stone 
foundation,  as  was  the  wall  of  Themistocles.  As  we  have 
already  seen,  it  must  have  been  utterly  destroyed  by  the 
Persians. 


56 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


WALLS  OF  THE  ACROPOLIS 

The  massive  walls  of  the  Acropolis  have  been  so  often 
reconstructed  and  repaired  that  at  present  only  a tentative 
history  of  them  can  be  written.  Large  portions  of  the  walls 
as  they  stand  to-day,  including  the  buttresses  along  the 
south  side,  are  mediaeval ; when  these  additions  shall  have 
been  removed,  many  puzzling  questions  will  doubtless  be 
brought  nearer  solution. 

A large  part  of  the  Pelargicum  fell  at  the  hands  of  the 
Persians.  On  the  south  side  of  the  hill  the  filling  in  the 
rear  partially  preserved  it,  but  along  the  north  side,  where 
the  Persians  had  found  it  possible  to  clamber  up,  the  wall 
almost  completely  disappeared.  Under  the  leadership, 
no  doubt,  of  Themistocles,  the  north  wall  was  rebuilt  and 
probably  the  south  wall  repaired.  The  new  north  wall  was 
of  ashlar  masonry  for  the  most  part,  but  into  it  and  facing 
the  homes  of  the  city,  as  a perpetual  reminder  of  Persian 
impiety,  were  inserted  drums  of  columns  (Fig.  24)  from  the 
early  Parthenon,  which  was  burnt  in  scaffold,  blocks  and 
drums  from  the  old  temple  of  Athena,  and  in  one  place  a 
section,  in  its  normal  relations,  of  the  triglyph  frieze  and 
cornice  from  the  same  structure. 

No  general  reconstruction  was  attempted  until  the  return 
of  Cimon  from  the  battle  of  Eurymedon  (465  b.c.)  with 
ample  spoils,  the  sale  of  which  afforded  funds  for  the  under- 
taking. To  Cimon,  Plutarch  and  others  attribute  the 
south  wall,  also  known  as  the  Cimonium.  This,  as  we  now 
know,  was  increased  in  height  and  strengthened  by  Pericles, 
so  as  to  support  the  terrace  along  the  side  of  the  Parthenon. 

Unlike  the  Pelargicum,  the  wall  of  Cimon  did  not  follow 
the  variations  of  contour,  but  struck  boldly  across  the  edge 
of  the  hill  from  the  southwest  to  the  southeast  corner  in  two 


WALLS  AND  GATES 


57 


straight  lines  which  meet  in  an  obtuse  angle  south  of  the 
west  end  of  the  Parthenon  (Fig.  133).  From  the  south- 
east corner  the  same  construction  continued  northward  to 
the  modern  “ belvedere.” 

The  Cimonium  was  built  of  squared  blocks  of  poros  laid 
as  headers  and  stretchers  (p.  9),  but  not  clamped  together. 


Fig.  24.  — Drums  of  columns  of  the  old  Parthenon  built  into  the  north 
wall  of  the  Acropolis. 

The  rubble  wall  at  the  top  is  mediaeval  and  modern. 

The  exterior  was  plain,  without  buttresses.  On  the  south- 
east side  are  still  as  many  as  twenty-nine  courses,  arising  to  a 
height  of  nearly  50  feet ; here  the  thickness  at  the  bottom 
is  about  21  feet,  at  the  top  about  8 feet.  Above  the  first 
few  courses  it  batters,  inclining  inward  some  two  feet  be- 
fore reaching  the  summit. 

In  describing  the  temple  of  Wingless  Victory,  Pausanias 
makes  the  remark  (1,  22,  5),  “From  this  point  the  sea  is 
visible.”  Hence  it  has  been  inferred  that  the  sea  was  not 
visible  from  within  the  wall ; in  other  words,  that  the  wall 


58  ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 

was  so  high  that  one  could  not  look  over  it.  Such  is  still 
the  case  with  part  of  the  north  wall,  upon  which  Lucian 
makes  one  of  the  characters  in  his  Fisherman  climb,  in 


Fig.  25. — Relief  in  the  front  of  the  Roman  stage  of  the  Dionysiac 

theater. 

Over  the  head  of  the  seated  Dionysus  at  the  right  the  columns  of  the  Parthenon  appear 

above  the  cliff. 

order  to  look  down  into  the  city.  A relief  under  the  later 
stage  of  the  theater  seems  to  show  the  Parthenon  partly 
visible  above  the  wall  (at  the  right-hand  upper  corner  in 
Fig.  25).  In  a sense  the  Acropolis  was  a secret  precinct. 

THE  THEMISTOCLEAN  WALL 

The  cleverness  of  Themistocles  in  outwitting  the  Spartans 
and  in  rebuilding  the  wall  against  their  opposition  has  been 
mentioned  (p.  35).  The  haste  with  which  the  construction 
was  carried  forward,  even  the  women  and  children  assisting 
in  the  work,  had  an  effect  on  the  nature  of  the  structure ; 
its  foundations  were  made,  as  Thucydides  says  (1,  93,  2), 
“of  all  sorts  of  stones/’  even  of  tombstones  and  stones 
wrought  for  other  buildings.  But  the  wall  built  under 
such  stress  fixed  the  outline  of  the  city  throughout  most  of 


WALLS  AND  GATES 


59 


its  later  history.  The  circuit  extended  on  all  sides  beyond 
the  former  wall  (p.  53) ; and  from  portions  still  to  be  seen 
or  else  attested  by  earlier  investigators,  with  the  help  of 
literary  references,  its  course  can  be  traced  with  tolerable 
certainty  over  most  of  its  extent. 

The  most  important  piece  of  the  wall  which  remains  is  at 
the  northwest  side  of  the  city  (Figs.  26  and  27).  Here  is  an 


0 10  20  30  40  £0  0 50  100 

Meters  Feet 

Fig.  26.  — Plan  of  the  Dipylum  and  adjacent  walls. 

angle  measuring  about  100  feet  on  one  side,  and  more  than 
100  on  the  other,  with  a great  tower  at  the  apex.  It  has 
been  repeatedly  repaired,  and  only  the  lowest  courses  (be- 
low the  arrows  in  Fig.  27)  are  Themistoclean ; at  the  very 
bottom  of  these,  recent  investigators  have  discovered 
stuccoed  blocks  from  other  buildings,  fragments  of  carved 
tombstones  (Fig.  28),  and  other  sculptures,  — an  interesting 


6o 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


verification  of  Thucydides’s  statement.  Only  the  founda- 
tion of  the  original  wall  was  of  stone ; the  outer  and  inner 
faces  were  of  polygonal  masonry,  the  middle  of  rubble  and 
earth.  Above  this  rose  sun-dried  brick  to  a height  that 
cannot  now  be  determined. 

Outside  of  the  old  wall  and  running  off  toward  the  north- 
east, another  wall,  entirely  of  masonry,  was  built  in  the 


Fig.  27.  — Fragment  of  the  Themistoclean  wall,  near  the  Dipylum. 


The  portion  below  the  arrows  is  the  foundation  of  the  wall  of  Themistocles;  the  wall  above 
it  was  originally  of  sun-dried  brick.  The  course  of  large  stones  above  the  Themistoclean 
foundation  belongs  to  the  second  building  period.  The  upper  courses  are  later  repairs. 

fourth  century  b.c.,  to  strengthen  the  defenses  (Fig.  29). 
During  the  Middle  Ages  all  these  walls  were  covered  deeply 
with  earth,  and  so  were  not  carried  off  for  building  stones, 
as  was  most  of  the  circuit. 

The  southerly  course  of  the  wall  (Fig.  262)  can  be  traced 
by  extant  or  known  remnants  over  the  high  ground  from 
the  Dipylum  to  the  Hill  of  the  Nymphs  and  along  the 


WALLS  AND  GATES 


61 


brink  of  the  Barathrum,  whence  it  made  an  abrupt  detour 
to  the  southwest,  thus  affording  protection  to  the  populous 
Hollow  (Coele,  p.  23),  and  connecting 
with  the  Long  Walls  which  ran  to 
Peiraeus.  Skirting  the  precipitous  edge 
of  the  Museum  Hill,  above  the  modern 
stone  quarries,  to  the  summit,  it  then 
descended  the  steep  eastern  side  and 
stretched  across  the  level  ground  to 
the  vicinity  of  the  Olympieum. 

Thus  far  the  evidence  is  in  the  main 
secure,  abundant  fragments  of  the  wall 
being  known,  although  nearly  all  of 
them  have  now  perished.  For  the  east 
side  of  the  city  the  evidence  is  scanty, 
particularly  for  the  section  beyond  the 
Olympieum.  Some  are  inclined  to 
believe  that  the  wall  ran  straight  north, 
leaving  the  Olympieum  outside  the  city 
and  connecting  with  the  Arch  of  Hadrian 
(p.  55).  But  the  Olympieum  seems  to 
have  been  in  the  city;  the  house  of 
Morychus  in  Plato’s  Phaedrus  (p.  227) 
was  “in  the  city  near  the  Olympieum,” 
whence  Phaedrus  comes  for  a walk 
“outside  the  wall.”  Furthermore  we 
learn  from  the  geographer  Strabo 
(p.  404)  that  certain  priests  had  the 
duty  of  watching  for  the  lightnings  over 
Mt.  Parnes  from  the  altar  of  Lightning 
Zeus,  which  was  “on  the  wall  between 
the  Olympieum  and  the  Pythium.”  The  Pythium  (p.  168) 
was  just  south  of  the  Olympieum,  and  the  wall  in  question 


Fig.  28.  — Grave  stele 
from  beneath  the 
Themistoclean  wall 
(Athens  Museum). 


62 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


was  apparently  that  of  the  city,  which  must,  accordingly, 
have  made  a slight  detour  so  as  to  inclose  the  temple. 

For  the  remainder  of  the  wall,  as  for  all  parts  of  the  cir- 
cuit, we  have  another  sort  of  evidence,  of  a safe  though 
negative  character.  Speaking  of  the  death  of  Marcus 
Marcellus,  Cicero  says  (Ad  Jam.  4,  12,  3):  “I  could  not 
secure  from  the  Athenians  the  grant  of  a place  of  burial 


Fig.  29.  — Looking  northwest  from  the  Sacred  Gate. 

On  either  side  are  walls  of  different  periods,  and  in  the  distance  is  the  Dipylum  cemetery. 

within  the  city,  which  they  said  was  forbidden  by  their 
religious  scruples,  and  which,  moreover,  they  had  hitherto 
granted  to  no  one.”  This  prohibition  of  burial  within  the 
city  may  have  had  its  origin  in  the  purification  of  Athens 
by  Epimenides,  about  600  b.c.,  after  the  murder  of  Cylon; 
it  continued  in  force,  with  only  a few  exceptions,  into  the 
second  century  of  our  era.  Classical  Greek  or  early  Roman 
graves,  therefore,  we  should  not  expect  to  find  inside  the 
walls.  A large  series  of  tombs  has  been  found  in  and  near 
the  present  Constitution  Square ; the  wall  must  have  lain 
west  of  these.  Bending  northwestward,  the  general  course 
is  established  by  graves,  and  by  some  remains,  to  the  most 


WALLS  AND  GATES 


63 


northerly  point,  where  are  the  foundations  of  the  towers 
of  a gate.  Again,  west  of  this  point,  the  line  is  fixed  in 
the  same  manner  around  to  the  Dipylum,  whence  we  started. 

Thucydides  says  (2,  13,  7),  according  to  our  manuscripts, 
that  the  circumference  of  the  wall,  exclusive  of  the  un- 
guarded section  between  the  ends  of  the  Long  Walls,  was 
forty- three  stades,  approximately  4.7  miles.  As  traced 
above,  however,  the  circuit,  including  the  section  which 
Thucydides  excepts,  is  a mile  short  of  his  figure.  While 
some  small  errors  in  our  study  are  possible,  the  total  can 
in  no  way  be  reconciled  with  the  historian’s  statement. 
His  figures  must  be  wrong,  or  else  wrongly  handed  down  in 
our  manuscripts ; the  latter  alternative  is  the  more  prob- 
able. Comparisons  made  by  other  writers  with  the  Ser- 
vian Wall  of  Rome  and  with  the  wall  of  Syracuse  are  of  no 
value. 

The  strip  of  cross-wall,  of  which  small  portions  remain, 
between  the  Hill  of  the  Nymphs  and  the  Hill  of  the  Muses 
was  built  by  the  demagogue  Cleon,  notwithstanding  the 
gibes  of  Aristophanes  in  the  Knights , about  420  b.c.,  in 
order  to  contract  the  space  which  must  be  guarded. 

The  Themistoclean  Wall  was  pierced  by  a dozen  principal 
gates.  The  most  ornate  and  important  of  these  was  the 
Dipylum,  of  which  the  remains  are  found  in  the  northwest 
part  of  the  city,  a few  hundred  feet  from  the  best  preserved 
piece  of  the  wall.  As  the  name  indicates,  this  was  a double 
gate,  closed  at  either  end  of  a court  by  two  pairs  of  doors 
with  intervening  piers  (Fig.  26).  In  front  of  the  north- 
west pier  a large  base,  perhaps  of  a quadriga,  is  still  in  situ 
(Fig.  30) ; while  before  the  southeast  pier  is  an  altar  dedi- 
cated to  Zeus,  Hermes,  and  Acamas  (Fig.  31).  The  court 
of  the  Dipylum  measures  about  127  by  70  feet,  making  a 
spacious  “ pocket”  through  which  an  enemy  must  fight  his 


64 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


way  while  attacked  from  above,  as  Philip  of  Macedon  dis- 
covered to  his  sorrow  (p.  42).  The  Dipylum  is  constructed 
of  squared  blocks  of  poros,  breccia,  and  Hymettian  marble ; 
it  was  probably  built  toward  the  end  of  the  fourth  century 
B.c.  (though  some  fix  its  date  even  later),  under  the 
administration  of  Lycurgus,  and  so  was  contempora- 
neous with  the  outer  line  of  walls  mentioned  above 


Fig.  30.  — Front  of  the  Dipylum,  with  quadriga  base  on  the  left. 


(p.  60).  It  took  the  place  of  an  earlier  gate  named  the 
Thriasian. 

A short  distance  southwest  of  the  Dipylum  is  a smaller 
gate,  beside  which  the  stream  of  the  Eridanus  issued.  This 
is  probably  the  Sacred  Gate,  from  which  the  Sacred  Way 
led  to  Eleusis.  In  front  of  it  lies  the  famous  Dipylum 
cemetery  (pp.  372  ff.). 

Three  or  four  hundred  yards  south  of  the  Sacred  Gate  lay 
the  Peiraic  Gate,  which,  before  the  building  of  the  Dipylum, 
was  the  chief  exit  in  the  direction  of  Peiraeus.  Portions 


WALLS  AND  GATES  65 

of  wall  and  towers  have  been  found  at  either  side  of  the  gate, 
as  well  as  wheel-tracks  worn  in  the  rock. 

Near  the  edge  of  the  Hill  of  the  Nymphs  lay  another 
gate,  and  in  the  southwest  detour  of  the  wall  two  more,  one 
of  them  the  Melitan  Gate.  Outside  of  this  gate  are  said  to 
have  been  the  Cimonian  tombs,  and  close  at  hand  was  the 
grave  of  Thucydides.  An  elaborate  rock-hewn  tomb  still 
extant  in  the  end  of  a hill  south  of  this  point  may  belong  to 
this  group  of  burial  places. 

In  the  level  ground  east  of  Museum  Hill  was  the  Itonian 
Gate ; the  precise  spot  is  not 
known  (p.  76) . Some  scholars 
look  for  the  Diomean  Gate 
close  by  the  Itonian.  That 
another  gate  was  near  is  al- 
most certain,  but  the  evidence 
points  to  the  situation  of  the 
Diomean  farther  on,  perhaps 
a little  north  or  south  of  the 
Olympieum  (p.  172). 

The  site  of  the  Gate  of 
Diochares  is  reasonably  sure.  Strabo  says  (9,  397)  that 
the  river  Eridanus  had  its  sources  “outside  the  so-called 
Gate  of  Diochares  near  the  Lyceum”  (p.  173).  We  know 
that  the  Eridanus  rose  on  the  side  of  Mt.  Lycabettus  (pp. 
18,  173),  and  that  the  Lyceum  was  east  of  the  city  between 
Lycabettus  and  the  Ilissus ; so  the  Gate  of  Diochares  must 
have  been  in  this  region,  probably  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
present  Hermes  Street,  a little  to  the  west  of  the  extensive 
cemetery  found  here. 

The  next  important  opening  was  the  Acharnian  Gate, 
from  which  a road  led  to  Acharnae,  the  largest  deme,  or 
village,  in  Attica,  seven  miles  north  of  Athens.  Between 


Fig.  31.  — Altar  dedicated  to  Zeus, 
Hermes,  and  Acamas,  at  the  east 
end  of  the  Dipylum. 


66 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


this  gate  and  the  Dipylum  was  one  other  gate,  of  which 
ruins  have  been  found. 

Besides  these,  one  or  two  more  gates  may  have  existed. 
We  have  the  name  of  a Cavalry  Gate,  but  this  may  be  one 
of  those  mentioned.  Small  doorways  pierced  the  wall  at 
various  points. 

THE  PEIRAIC  WALL 

The  tyrant  Hippias  is  said  to  have  begun  a stronghold  on 
the  hill  of  Munychia  at  Peiraeus,  but  of  his  work  we  have 
no  certain  remains.  The  first  to  appreciate  the  advantage 
to  Athens  of  fortifying  Peiraeus  was  Themistocles,  in  whose 
first  archonship  (493/2  b.c.)  the  circuit  wall  was  planned 
and  partially  constructed.  The  fortification  was  not  com- 
pleted until  a decade  or  so  after  the  Persian  Wars.  This 
wall  was  built  more  deliberately  and  more  strongly  than 
that  about  Athens  itself ; its  foundation  was  of  massive 
masonry,  so  wide,  if  we  correctly  interpret  Thucydides 
(1,  93,  4),  that  two  wagons  could  meet  and  pass  on  it. 

At  the  end  of  the  Peloponnesian  War  a large  part  of  the 
wall  was  torn  down,  but  it  was  not  to  remain  long  in  ruins. 
In  395  b.c.,  the  rebuilding  began,  and  in  the  nick  of  time 
Conon  arrived  with  spoils  from  the  battle  of  Cnidus  to  give 
the  undertaking  impetus.  In  general  the  present  remains 
are  of  the  wall  of  Conon. 

Ruins  of  the  wall  almost  surround  the  city  (Fig.  251). 
From  the  land  side  the  chief  entrance  was  the  Asty  Gate 
at  the  north,  whence  ran  the  main  road  to  Athens.  From 
this  point  the  wall  runs  eastward,  past  the  juncture  with 
the  Long  Walls  and  two  other  gates,  nearly  to  the  summit 
of  Munychia.  Thence  it  turns  to  the  coast,  which  it  fol- 
lows throughout  the  rest  of  its  course,  to  the  west  side  of 
the  city. 


WALLS  AND  GATES 


67 


The  harbor  of  Munychia  is  almost  closed  by  spurs  of  the 
hill  and  a small  island.  Over  these  the  wall  pushes  out  from 
either  side  with  moles  and  towers,  until  it  leaves  a passage 
of  only  120  feet,  which  in  times  of  emergency  could  be 
completely  closed  by  a chain  or  rope  boom.  On  the  hill 
at  the  south  end  of  the  harbor  the  wall  was  reenforced  by  a 
fort.  At  Zea  Harbor  the  wall  bends  in  to  protect  the  throat 
and  ends  in  moles  and  towers,  the  open  space  being  about 
200  feet. 

Around  the  peninsula  of  Acte  (Fig.  32)  the  wall  follows 
the  high  bank,  60  to  130  feet  from  the  water.  At  the 


Fig.  32.  — Section  of  the  Peiraic  wall  about  Acte  and  one  of  the  towers, 

from  within. 


northwest  corner  of  the  peninsula,  Cape  Alcimus,  is  a 
massive  round  tower ; lower  down,  at  the  water’s  edge,  is 
a square  tower.  No  remains  are  extant  of  a wall  from  this 
point  to  the  southern  mole,  which  projects  across  the  mouth 
of  the  harbor,  but  one  must  be  assumed,  to  dominate  the 
entrance  of  the  harbor,  as  at  Zea.  The  open  space  between 
moles  was  about  180  feet. 


68 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


From  the  northern  mole  the  wall  leads  back  to  the  great 
northwest  gate ; it  then  probably  passed  across  the  mouth  of 
Dumb  Harbor  and  northeastward  to  the  Asty  Gate.  But 
from  the  mouth  of  the  harbor  the  course  is  conjectural. 

West  of  the  peninsula  of  Eetioneia  a great  loop  surrounded 
the  bay  of  Krommydaru,  which  is  now  filled  and  occupied 
by  dry-docks.  The  suggestion  has  been  made  that  this 
was  the  original  wall  of  Themistocles,  and  that  it  went 
around  rather  than  across  Dumb  Harbor.  This  is  doubtful, 
however ; it  may  be  even  of  a later  date  than  that  of  Conon. 
The  conjecture  has  also  been  made  that  a piece  of  wall 
which  starts  from  the  east  side  of  Acte  and  continues 
across  the  peninsula  was  the  wall  of  Themistocles.  The 
suggestion  is  tempting,  for  the  wall  as  traced  above  exceeds 
the  sixty  stades  given  by  Thucydides  (2,  13,  7)  as  the  length 
of  the  Peiraic  circuit. 

The  early  wall  was  probably  like  that  of  the  upper  city, 
of  sun-baked  brick  with  a foundation  of  stone.  The 
existing  wall  is  constructed  of  inner  and  outer  faces  of 
ashlar  masonry,  the  space  between  being  filled  with  rubble 

and  earth.  It  varies  in 
thickness  from  about  26 
feet  along  its  exposed 
north  side  to  10  and  12 
feet  about  Acte  and  6.5 
to  8 feet  on  Eetioneia. 
For  much  of  its  course 
it  was  reenforced  at  in- 
tervals on  the  outside 
by  towers  which  jut 
out  12  to  20  feet  from 
the  intervening  curtain ; nearly  sixty  of  these  protected 
the  wall  about  Acte  (Fig.  33). 


Fig.  33. : — Exterior  of  one  of  the  towers 
of  the  wall  about  Acte. 


WALLS  AND  GATES 


69 


Fig.  34.  — East  tower  of  Asty  Gate. 

Asty  Gate  was  the  principal  gate  at  the  north  of  Peiraeus  communicating  with  Athens 
outside  the  Long  Walls. 

Near  the  Asty  Gate  was  a small  shrine  of  Hermes,  erected 
by  the  archons  when  the  construction  of  the  wall  was  begin- 
ning. The  gate  itself  was  flanked  by  two  strong  towers 
(Figs.  34  and  35).  Whether  or  not  it  had  a court  like  the 
Dipylum  is  uncertain.  Such,  at  any  rate,  was  the  construc- 
tion of  the  gate  five  hundred  feet  to  the  east;  here,  how- 
ever, were  no  towers,  the  gate  being  flanked  by  the  North 


Fig.  35.  — West  tower  of  Asty  Gate. 


70  ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


Fig.  36.  — Peiraic  wall  and  gate  near  juncture  of  the  North  Long  Wall. 

Long  Wall  (Fig.  36).  Two  other  gates  have  been  traced  to 
the  east  of  this,  and  one  must  be  assumed  west  of  Asty  Gate. 
The  two  imposing  round  towers  of  the  northwest  gate,  on 
Eetioneia,  are  still  admirably  preserved  (Fig.  37).  Several 
smaller  portals  require  no  mention  here. 


Fig.  37.  — Towers  and  wall  on  Eetioneia,  from  the  southwest. 


WALLS  AND  GATES  71 


Fig.  38.  — Map  of  the  Long  Walls. 


72 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


THE  LONG  WALLS 

After  the  construction  of  the  Peiraic  Wall  the  Athenians 
had  two  fortified  towns  to  defend ; the  link  between  the 
city  and  its  port  was  the  Long  Walls  (Fig.  38).  Plutarch 
tells  us  of  Cimon’s  connection  with  the  construction  of  these 
walls  and  of  the  difficulties  overcome  in  building  across  the 
marshy  land  near  the  sea.  The  contemporary  authority, 
Thucydides,  ascribes  the  beginning  of  the  walls  to  the  year 
460  b.c.,  when  Cimon  was  already  in  banishment.  The 
North  Wall  appears  to  have  been  the  first  erected,  but 
the  Phaleric  Wall  followed  immediately.  Then  under  the 
advice  of  Pericles  the  Phaleric  Wall  was  abandoned,  and 
“the  wall  through  the  middle”  was  constructed.  At  the 
end  of  the  Peloponnesian  War  the  Spartans  and  the  restored 
exiles  “tore  down  the  walls  with  much  enthusiasm,  to  the 
accompaniment  of  flute-players,”  as  Xenophon  tells  us 
(. Hellenica  2,  2,  23).  Conon  rebuilt  the  two  “legs;”  the 
Phaleric  Wall  is  not  again  mentioned. 

Considerable  portions  of  the  Long  Walls  were  in  existence 
a century  ago,  but  now  they  have  nearly  disappeared.  The 
two  “legs”  were  parallel,  except  at  their  ends,  where  they 
flared  to  meet  the  walls  of  the  cities.  Their  length  was 
about  four  and  a half  miles,  and  they  were  about  550  feet 
apart.  The  South  Wall  was  slightly  the  longer. 

No  remains  of  the  Phaleric  Wall  have  been  identified  with 
certainty,  and  some  scholars  go  so  far  as  to  deny  that  it 
ever  existed.  The  question  as  to  its  course  is  further  com- 
plicated by  our  ignorance  of  the  situation  of  the  deme  of 
Phalerum,  which  gave  to  it  its  name ; Phalerum  has  usually 
been  placed  near  Old  Phaleron,  as  it  is  now  called,  at  the  east 
end  of  the  Phaleric  Bay.  To  the  theory  that  the  wall  ran  to 
this  point,  the  objection  is  made  that  Phalerum  was  but 


WALLS  AND  GATES 


73 


twenty  stades  from  Athens,  whereas  Old  Phaleron  is  nearly 
thirty-five;  and  that  a wall  from  the  Asty  to  Old  Phaleron 
would  leave  the  long  stretch  of  coast  between  Old  Phaleron 
and  Peiraeus  open  to  an  attack  of  a hostile  fleet.  Hence 
Phalerum  may  more  reasonably  be  sought  nearer  to  Peiraeus, 
possibly  by  the  chapel  of  St.  Savior  (Fig.  38),  and  the  wall 
(variously  said  to  have  been  thirty  and  thirty-five  stades 
in  length)  connected  through  Phalerum  to  Peiraeus;  the 
matter  is  still  uncertain.  The  coast  line  has  undoubtedly 
changed  since  ancient  times,  and  the  present  distance  of 
St.  Savior  from  the  sea  is  not  necessarily  an  objection  to  the 
theory  indicated. 

The  Long  Walls  had  a stone  foundation  surmounted  by 


Fig.  39.  — Reconstruction  of  the  gallery  of  the  walls  of  Athens. 


sun-dried  bricks,  and  at  the  top  a covered  passage,  with 
crenelations  and  a roof  of  tiles.  From  an  extant  inscription 
the  details  of  construction  can  be  accurately  determined 
(Fig.  39).  Probably  the  walls  were  penetrated  by  several 


74 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


small  gates;  they  had  openings  also  for  the  Cephissus, 
whose  stream  they  crossed. 

LATER  WALLS  OF  ATHENS 

The  emperor  Hadrian  surrounded  his  new  quarter  of  the 
city  at  the  east  with  a new  wall.  The  foundation  of  a tower 
south  of  the  Olympieum,  fragments  in  the  present  palace 
gardens,  and  other  remains  near  the  royal  stables  and  else- 
where, make  the  course  of  this  addition  reasonably  sure 
(Fig.  262).  The  foundations  are  of  large  blocks  of  poros; 
regarding  the  superstructure  we  have  no  information. 

A wall  north  of  the  Acropolis  formerly  called  the  Valerian 
Wall  is  now  known  to  be  mediaeval.  Other  late  walls  and 
repairs  it  is  not  necessary  to  mention. 


CHAPTER  IV 


The  Hellenic  Agora 

Since  the  extant  ruins  represent  only  small  and  dis- 
connected portions  of  the  ancient  city  of  the  Athenians,  we 
are  fortunate  in  having  so  many  details  preserved  in  the 
account  of  Pausanias  (p.  2)  to  supplement  our  knowledge 
derived  from  the  monuments.  In  our  survey  of  the  city 
henceforth  his  narrative  will  be  followed  as  a logical  and 
convenient  guide.1 

At  the  present  day  the  visitor  to  Athens  will  usually 
choose  one  or  the  other  of  two  routes  leading  from  Peiraeus 
up  to  the  city  : the  electric  tramway  passing  New  Phaleron 
and  entering  the  city  at  the  south  near  the  Olympieum ; or 
the  “ third-rail”  road  entering  at  the  northwest.  Pausa- 
nias describes  almost  identically  the  same  routes. 

“On  the  road  from  Phalerum  to  Athens  is  a temple  of 
Hera  without  doors  or  roof.  They  say  that  Mardonius, 
son  of  Gobryas,  set  it  on  fire.  The  existing  statue,  so  they 
say,  is  by  Alcamenes ; this  the  Mede  cannot  have  defiled,” 
because  the  period  of  Alcamenes  was  after  the  Persian  Wars ; 
but  which  of  the  two  traditions  cited  by  Pausanias  is  cor- 

1 That  is,  for  Chapters  IV  to  IX.  Pausanias’s  historical  and  mythological 
digressions,  which  are  irrelevant  for  our  present  purposes,  will  in  most  cases 
be  omitted,  often  without  special  indication  of  the  place  of  omission.  His 
description  of  Athens  is  comprised  in  the  first  thirty  chapters  of  his  first 
book ; in  general,  passages  from  this  portion  of  his  work  will  be  quoted  with- 
out references  being  given.  In  some  instances,  where  no  doubt  as  to  author- 
ship can  arise,  the  quotations  will  be  introduced  without  specific  mention 
of  Pausanias’s  name. 


75 


76 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


rect,  we  can  determine  no  better  than  he.  “ When  one  has 
entered  the  city  there  is  a monument  of  the  Amazon  An tiope.” 
Since  this  monument,  as  is  known  from  other  sources,  was 
just  inside  the  Itonian  Gate  (p.  167),  the  road  from  Phalerum 
must  have  ended  at  this  point. 

“ On  the  way  up  from  Peiraeus  are  ruins  of  the  walls  which 
Conon  erected  after  the  sea-fight  off  Cnidus ; for  those  built 
by  Themistocles  after  the  withdrawal  of  the  Medes  were 
demolished  at  the  time  of  the  rule  of  the  Thirty,  as  they 
are  called.  Along  the  road  are  graves,  the  most  famous 
being  that  of  Menander  son  of  Diopeithes  and  a cenotaph 
of  Euripides ; but  Euripides  is  buried  in  Macedonia,  having 
gone  thither  to  the  court  of  King  Archelaus.”  The  epi- 
taphs on  the  monuments  mentioned  by  Pausanias  are  pre- 
served in  the  Palatine  Anthology.  “Not  far  from  the  gate 
is  a grave  surmounted  by  a warrior  standing  by  a horse. 
I do  not  know  who  he  is,  but  Praxiteles  made  both  the 
horse  and  the  warrior.  ” 

FROM  THE  DIPYLUM  TO  THE  AGORA 

Unfortunately  Pausanias  neglected  to  state  at  which 
one  of  the  gates  he  entered  the  city,  an  omission  which  has 
been  productive  of  long  discussion,  with  vehement  advocates 
for  the  Peiraic  Gate  (p.  65)  and  for  the  Dipylum  (pp.  63  f.), 
respectively.  Certainty  is  not  yet  attainable,  but  the  weight 
of  evidence  and  of  opinion  inclines  decidedly  toward  the 
Dipylum,  the  usual  entrance  from  Peiraeus. 

“When  one  has  entered  the  city,  there  is  a building  for 
the  preparation  of  the  processions  which  they  conduct, 
some  every  year,  some  at  intervals  of  time,”  those  at  inter- 
vals doubtless  being  the  great  Panathenaic  processions, 
which  were  organized  every  four  years.  The  building  which 
Pausanias  mentions  is  known  in  literature  and  inscriptions 


THE  HELLENIC  AGORA 


77 


as  the  Pompeum;  it  probably  stood  on  the  large  three- 
aisled  foundation  which  has  been  uncovered  north  of  the 
Dipylum  (pp.  63  f.  and  Fig.  26).  The  foundation  is  of  large 
blocks  of  poros,  and  is  about  77  feet  wide ; its  length  cannot 
be  determined  until  the  excavation  is  carried  farther  to- 
ward the  east.  When  the  Pompeum  was  constructed,  is  not 
known ; our  first  reference  to  it  is  in  an  oration  of  Demos- 
thenes in  connection  with  its  use  for  the  distribution  of 
grain.  The  building  appears  to  have  been  decorated  with 
paintings  and  statues ; we  hear  of  a bronze  statue  of  Socra- 
tes by  Lysippus,  painted  portraits  of  writers  of  comedy 
by  Craterus,  and  a painted  portrait  of  Isocrates.  Diogenes 
the  Cynic  is  said  to  have  declared  that  the  Pompeum  and 
the  Stoa  of  Zeus  were  built  for  him  to  live  in,  which  implies 
nothing  more  than  that  these  were  frequented  as  public 
lounging  places. 

“Near  by,”  continues  Pausanias,  “is  a temple  of  Demeter, 
with  statues  of  herself  and  her  daughter,  and  Iacchus 
holding  a torch ; and  on  the  wall  is  written  in  Attic  letters 
the  fact  that  they  are  the  works  of  Praxiteles.”  “Near 
by”  gives  little  help  in  locating  the  temple.  It  must  have 
been  on  one  side  or  the  other  of  the  Dipylum,  where  it  may 
have  had  an  important  connection  with  the  sacred  embassies 
to  Demeter’s  greater  shrine  at  Eleusis.  Clement  of  Alexan- 
dria ( Protrept . 4,  18)  also  speaks  of  “the  Demeter  of  Praxite- 
les and  Cora  and  Iacchus  the  mystic,”  but  the  Iacchus 
had  the  greatest  fame.  Cicero  asks  {In  V err em  4,  60)  : 
“What  would  the  Athenians  take  for  their  marble  Iacchus  ?” 
Plutarch  tells  us  of  an  Iaccheum,  at  which  the  grandson  of 
Aristeides  the  Just  made  a living  by  interpreting  dreams, 
probably  at  the  sanctuary  under  consideration. 

Here  our  discussion  of  the  sanctuary  might  end  but  for 
the  statement  of  Pausanias  that  the  inscription  was  “in 


78 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


Attic  letters.”  The  old  Attic  alphabet  was  officially 
superseded  by  the  Ionic,  which  had  long  been  coming  into 
private  use,  in  the  archonship  of  Eucleides,  403/2  b.c., 
while  Praxiteles  began  his  work  thirty  or  forty  years  later. 
The  discrepancy  presents  a serious  difficulty,  which  some 
scholars  have  tried  to  solve  by  supposing  an  elder  Praxiteles, 
the  grandfather  of  the  famous  artist.  But  no  ancient 
author  tells  us  of  an  elder  sculptor  of  this  name,  and  an 
easier  explanation  is  that  the  inscription  was  an  archaizing 
supplement  of  Roman  times.  Such  imitations  are  known, 
and  the  fact  that  the  inscription  was  “on  the  wall,”  rather 
than  on  the  base  of  the  statue,  favors  this  view.  None  of 
the  statues  of  the  group  has  been  preserved,  but  a superb 

head  from  Eleusis,  heretofore 
called  Eubuleus,  has  recently 
been  identified,  with  much 
plausibility,  as  a copy  of  the 
famous  Iacchus  (Fig.  40). 

“Not  far  from  the  temple  is 
Poseidon,  on  horseback,  hurling 
a spear  at  the  giant  Polybotes 
(Fig.  168),  respecting  whom  the 
Coans  have  the  myth  about 
Cape  Chelone ; but  the  inscrip- 
tion in  my  time  assigns  the 
statue  to  another,  and  not  to 
Poseidon.”  The  Coan  myth, 
however,  had  it  that  Poseidon 
tore  off  a fragment  of  the  island 
of  Cos  as  a missile,  and  this  is 
the  version  more  often  represented  in  existing  works  of  art. 
An  attempt  has  been  made  to  show  that  the  rededication 
was  to  the  Roman  emperor  Caligula,  but  this  is  doubtful. 


Fig.  40. — Head  of  Iacchus, 
by  Praxiteles,  restored. 

The  restoration  is  from  the  head 
usually  known  as  Eubuleus,  in  the 
National  Museum  at  Athens. 


THE  HELLENIC  AGORA 


79 


Apparently  the  monuments  thus  far  mentioned  were 
clustered  near  the  Dipylum,  for  Pausanias  now  remarks 
for  the  first  time  that  “ There  are  stoae  from  the  gate  to 
the  Cerameicus,  and  bronze  images  before  them  of  men  and 
women  who  have  risen  to  fame.”  These  stoae,  or  colon- 
nades, are  mentioned  also  by  Himerius,  a sophist  of  the 
time  of  Julian,  in  his  description  of  the  Panathenaic  pro- 
cession. According  to  him  {Or.  3,  12)  the  avenue  which 
ran  between  them  was  “ straight  and  smooth  and  sloping 
down  from  above ; ” that  is,  from  the  Agora.  Traces  of 
the  higher  end  of  this  road  have  been  found  near  the 
Hephaesteum,  and  with  little  doubt  the  road  descended 
thence  in  a direct  line  to  the  gate.  When  Athens  was 
sacked  by  Sulla,  the  blood  shed  in  the  Agora  is  said  to  have 
flowed  down  to  the  Dipylum  and  through  it.  The  Long 
Stoa,  or  Alphitopolis,  where  grain  and  flour  were  sold,  was 
probably  along  the  south  side  of  the  street  near  the  present 
railroad  station,  but  the  ground  on  the  north  side  is  more 
level  and  better  suited  for  the  buildings  next  mentioned 
by  Pausanias. 

“One  of  the  stoae  contains  sanctuaries  of  the  gods  and 
a gymnasium  called  the  Gymnasium  of  Hermes.”  Of 
these  we  know  nothing  more.  Pausanias  continues : 
“In  it  is  also  Pulytion’s  house,  where,  they  say,  not  the 
least  distinguished  of  the  Athenians  travestied  the  mysteries 
of  Eleusis ; in  my  time  it  was  dedicated  to  Dionysus,  whom 
they  here  call  the  Minstrel  (Melpomenus),  in  the  same  way 
as  they  call  Apollo  the  Leader  of  the  Muses  (Musegetes).” 
Pausanias  refers,  of  course,  to  the  famous  profanation  of 
the  Eleusinian  mysteries,  before  the  Sicilian  Expedition,  by 
Alcibiades,  Pulytion,  and  others.  The  house,  which  Plato 
tells  us  was  distinguished  for  its  magnificence,  was  appar- 
ently confiscated  by  the  state  and  dedicated  to  Dionysus. 


8o 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


“ Here  is  a statue  of  Athena  the  Healer  (Paeonia)  and  Zeus 
and  Mnemosyne  and  the  Muses,  Apollo  too,  the  offering  and 
work  of  Eubulides,  and  Acratus,  one  of  Dionysus’s  attend- 
ant divinities ; this  last  is  merely  a face  built  into  the  wall.” 
At  length  we  have  a site  that  can  be  identified  with  much 
probability.  In  1837  in  excavating  for  the  foundation  of  a 
dwelling  north  of  the  railroad  station  (Fig.  262),  a base  was 
found  about  26  feet  long,  with  two  steps,  surmounted  by 
two  blocks  of  the  pedestal  of  a statue,  or  statues.  A large 
block  of  Hymettian  marble  was  also  found  bearing  an  in- 
scription which  has  been  restored  to  read : “ Eubulides  son 
of  Eucheir  of  Cronia  made  it.”  Eubulides  lived  in  the 
second  century  b.c.  The  inscribed  block,  several  marble 
heads,  and  a torso,  found  at  the  same  time,  are  in  the  Athens 
Museum,  but  the  base  was  covered  up  and  the  house  built 
over  it.  The  connection  of  the  base  with  the  statues 
named  by  Pausanias  could  scarcely  be  doubted  but  for 
two  things : his  declaration  that  Eubulides  offered  as  well 
as  made  them ; and  the  further  fact  that  the  text  of  Pau- 
sanias may  be  understood  as  saying  that  Eubulides  made 
not  the  group  but  only  the  Apollo,  while  the  base  discovered 
is  too  large  for  a single  figure.  To  reconcile  these  apparent 
discrepancies  is  not  easy,  but  the  balance  of  evidence  leans 
toward  the  identification  of  the  base  with  that  of  the  monu- 
ment which  Pausanias  mentions.  A blank  space  at  the 
right  of  the  existing  inscription  forbids  our  thinking  that 
the  words  “and  dedicated  it”  can  have  been  broken  off, 
but  the  dedicatory  notice  may  have  been  on  another  block, 
while  the  uncertainty  in  the  interpretation  of  the  text  of 
Pausanias  is  not  without  parallel ; similar  ambiguities 
have  been  pointed  out  in  other  parts  of  his  work.  A colossal 
head  found  in  the  same  locality  in  1874  may  be  that  of 
Athena  the  Healer. 


THE  HELLENIC  AGORA 


81 


The  “face  built  into  the  wall”  was  probably  a mask  of 
Acratus  (drinker  of  unmixed  wine) . Such  a mask  is  repre- 
sented on  an  ancient  crater,  now  in 
Glasgow,  with  the  name  Akratos 
painted  beside  it  (Fig.  41). 

“After  the  precinct  of  Dionysus  is 
a building  with  statues  of  clay,  Am- 
phictyon,  king  of  the  Athenians,  feast- 
ing Dionysus  and  other  gods.  Here 
too  is  Pegasus  of  Eleutherae,  who 
introduced  the  god  among  the  Athe- 
nians.” The  stoa  containing  the  house 
of  Pulytion,  the  statues  of  Eubulides,  and  the  mask  of 
Acratus  must  have  been  of  considerable  extent.  Perhaps 
it  had  connected  with  it  an  inclosure,  which  Pausanias 
here  calls  a precinct.  But,  while  we  are  not  outside  the 
precinct,  we  are  still  in  a region  sacred  to  Dionysus. 
Amphictyon  and  Pegasus  are  connected  in  literature  with 
the  introduction  of  the  worship  of  Dionysus  into  Athens, 
but  how  the  scene  was  represented  in  the  “statues  of  clay” 
we  do  not  know.  We  have  similar  groups  portrayed  as 
reliefs,  but  the  figures  here  mentioned  seem  to  have  been 
in  the  round. 

A small  precinct  which  Pausanias  fails  to  mention  has 
been  uncovered  in  the  railroad-cutting  at  the  north  end  of 
Colonus  Agoraeus,  the  precinct  of  Demus  and  the  Graces, 
together  with  an  altar  of  Leader  Aphrodite  (Hegemone). 
Here,  too,  Roma  was  at  one  time  worshiped.  The  base  of  a 
statue  by  the  sculptor  Bryaxis  was  found  near  by,  and  we 
know  from  literary  references  that  various  bronze  statues 
stood  here,  notably  one  of  the  Jewish  priest  and  prince 
Hyrcanus,  mentioned  by  Josephus  as  being  in  this  precinct. 
The  road  probably  turned  here  to  enter  the  Agora. 


Fig.  41.  — Vase  paint- 
ing with  the  face  of 
Akratos. 


82 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


THE  AGORA 

We  now  come  to  the  Agora.  Pausanias  begins  his  de- 
scription of  it  by  saying  : “Now  this  place,  the  Cerameicus, 
has  its  name  from  the  hero  Ceramus,  who  is  also  said  to 
be  the  son  of  Dionysus  and  Ariadne. ” This  derivation  is 
merely  an  example  of  popular  etymologizing,  for  the  deme 
Cerameicus  (pp.  26  f.)  undoubtedly  owed  its  name  to  the 
fact  that  it  was  the  quarter  of  the  potters  (kerameis).  To 
Pausanias  and  other  writers  of  his  time  the  Cerameicus 
was  not  a deme,  but  a place ; the  name  was  used  as  a 
synonym  of  Agora,  and  in  consequence  many  of  the  sites 
that  these  writers  speak  of  as  being  in  the  Cerameicus  are 
mentioned  by  others  as  in  the  Agora. 

The  name  Agora,  with  its  double  meaning  of  “ market  ” 
and  “ meeting-place,”  is  a more  accurate  designation  for  the 
quarter  that  we  are  about  to  enter  than  Market-place  or 
Market ; while  originally  the  space  set  apart  sufficed  for 
commercial  purposes  as  well  as  for  the  transaction  of  public 
business,  the  two  uses  naturally  came  in  time  to  be  more 
or  less  clearly  differentiated.  The  two  parts  of  the  Agora, 
however,  were  probably  not  distinctly  divided,  though  that 
opinion  is  held  by  some  scholars.  In  shape,  apparently  it 
was  not  a perfect  rectangle,  but  a somewhat  irregular  area, 
which  was  extended  as  the  city  grew ; and  while  trade  was 
gradually  exiled  from  the  space  devoted  to  civic  and  re- 
ligious affairs,  it  hovered  closely  about  and  sometimes 
intruded  on  this  area  (p.  149). 

In  order  to  understand  the  growth  and  appearance  of  the 
Agora,  we  shall  do  well  at  the  outset  to  go  to  the  south  of  the 
Areopagus  where  was  the  Ancient  Agora ; for,  as  we  have 
seen  (pp.  30  f.),  when  the  early  settlement  outgrew  the  con- 
fines of  the  Acropolis,  it  extended  at  first  toward  the  south, 


THE  HELLENIC  AGORA 


83 


though  the  particular  space  with  which  we  are  now  con- 
cerned is  nearly  west  of  the  citadel.  That  the  Ancient 
Agora  lay  in  this  region  we  conclude  from  a quotation 
from  Apollodorus  by  Harpocration  to  the  effect  that  the 
worship  of  Aphrodite  Pandemus  was  “ established  near  the 
Ancient  Agora.”  Now  from  another  passage  of  Pausanias 
we  infer  (p.  221)  that  this  sanctuary  of  Aphrodite  was  south- 
west of  the  Acropolis;  the  inference  is  borne  out  by  the 
discovery,  in  excavations  in  this  vicinity,  of  some  forty 
statuettes  of  Aphrodite,  and  several  inscriptions  bearing 
her  name  with  the  title  Pandemus.  Within  narrow  limits, 
therefore,  this  sanctuary  can  be  located,  and  near  it  the 
Ancient  Agora  must  have  been,  where  we  should  expect  to 
find  it,  close  to  the  entrance  to  the  Acropolis.  The  precise 
situation  cannot  yet  be  determined. 

A large  portion  of  the  area  adjacent  to  the  Ancient  Agora, 
however,  has  been  uncovered  through  excavations  begun 
in  1887,  and  with  extraordinarily  interesting  results.  The 
excavations  were  made  on  both  sides  of  the  modern  carriage 
road  as  it  passes  between  the  Areopagus  and  the  Pnyx  Hill 
(Figs.  42  and  43),  but  chiefly  to  the  east.  Here  was  found 
an  ancient  street  with  a system  of  drainage  pipes  beneath 
it  and  walls  of  sanctuaries  and  other  buildings  on  either 
side  (p.  22).  The  street  seems  to  us  narrow  and  crooked, 
but  without  much  doubt  it  was  the  regular  ascent  from 
the  city  to  the  Acropolis  and  the  course  of  the  great  Pan- 
athenaic  procession. 

On  the  east  side  of  the  carriage  road,  under  the  slope  of 
the  Pnyx  Hill,  is  the  fountain  Enneacrunus,  with  an  elabo- 
rate system  of  reservoirs  and  conduits ; as  the  site  is  men- 
tioned later  by  Pausanias,  the  description  may  be  deferred 
(pp.  108  ff.). 

Directly  across  from  the  fountain  is  a trapezoidal  inclosure, 


84 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


Fig.  42.  — Map  of  excavations  south  of  Areopagus. 


THE  HELLENIC  AGORA 


85 


about  60  by  55  feet  in  greatest  length  and  breadth,  which 
has  been  identified  by  inscriptions  found  within  it  as  the 
Amyneum.  The  character  of  the  walls  shows  that  the  pre- 
cinct is  at  least  as  early  as  the  era  of  Peisistratus.  The 
entrance  is  at  the  northwest  corner,  and  on  the  east  side  is  a 
small  room  containing  a marble  sacrificial  table.  At  one 
corner  of  this  room  is  a deep  well  partially  fed  by  a branch 


Fig.  43.  — View  of  excavations  south  of  Areopagus. 
In  the  background,  at  the  right,  is  the  Acropolis. 


from  the  conduit  which  supplies  the  fountain.  Amynus 
is  not  known  in  literature,  but  the  inscriptions  and  votive 
offerings  found  in  the  shrine  indicate  that  he  was  a healing 
divinity  allied  with  Asclepius,  by  whose  worship  in  later 
times  that  of  Amynus  was  displaced. 

On  the  same  side  of  the  street,  some  forty  paces  farther 
north,  is  a larger  inclosure,  triangular  in  shape,  about  148 
feet  in  extreme  length  and  82  feet  in  width  (Fig.  43).  The 
walls  are  made  of  Acropolis  limestone  and  vary  in  con- 
struction from  Cyclopean  to  almost  quadrangular  polyg- 
onal masonry.  The  precinct  is  divided  by  a cross-wall  into 
two  sections,  and  in  the  smaller  southern  division  is  the 


86 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


foundation  of  a small  temple,  about  17  by  13  feet  in  size, 
facing  the  southeast.  The  polygonal  walls  of  the  temple, 
which  has  no  steps,  are  earlier  than  the  period  of  Peisistratus, 
and  underneath  them  are  the  remains  of  a temple  yet 
older.  Beside  the  temple  is  the  only  entrance  into  the  larger 
division  of  the  precinct.  Near  the  center  of  this  section 
is  a large  base  with  holes,  supposed  to  have  been  for  the 
legs  of  a sacrificial  table,  and  grooves  for  the  reception  of 
inscribed  slabs ; while  in  the  northwest  corner  of  the  pre- 
cinct is  a fairly  well  preserved  winepress,  with  a paved 
floor  sloping  toward  one  corner  where  the  grape-juice  could 
be  received  in  a jar. 

By  a somewhat  extended  course  of  reasoning,  which 
cannot  be  outlined  here,  the  precinct  has  been  identified 
as  the  celebrated  Dionysium  in  the  Marshes  (Limnae). 
This  sanctuary  was  opened  only  once  a year,  during  the 
Anthesteria,  when  at  the  “ feast  of  pitchers”  the  people 
presented  their  garlands  in  the  sanctuary  and  offered  sacri- 
fices to  the  god. 

The  suggestion  has  recently  been  made  that  the  precinct  is 
that  of  Heracles  in  Melite,  or  the  Heracleum.  This  identi- 
fication rests  largely  upon  the  theory  that  the  base  which  has 
been  taken  for  that  of  a sacrificial  altar  is  really  for  a sort  of 
aedicula  of  Heracles.  The  hypothesis  carries  too  much 
else  with  it  to  be  acceptable  at  present. 

That  the  spot  was  sacred  to  Dionysus  in  later  times  is 
evident  from  the  large  rectangular  Roman  building,  with 
two  rows  of  columns,  which  was  built  on  a higher  level  over 
the  old  precinct.  Here  were  found  an  altar  bearing  em- 
blems of  Dionysus,  or  Bacchus,  and  several  inscriptions,  one 
of  considerable  length,  indicating  that  this  was  the  Bac- 
cheum,  the  clubhouse  of  the  Iobacchi. 

Another  large  precinct  with  a winepress  lies  north  of  the 


THE  HELLENIC  AGORA 


87 


Dionysium ; while  opposite  and  partly  under  the  carriage 
road  is  a shrine  with  a Lesche,  or  Clubhouse,  of  the  fourth 
century  b.c.  Numerous  other  buildings  of  different  dates 
surround  those  mentioned,  but  none  of  them  can  be  identi- 
fied. 

We  cannot  now  determine  just  when  the  Ancient  Agora 
was  abandoned  for  the  area  north  of  the  Areopagus,  which 


Fig.  44.  — Site  of  the  Hellenic  Agora,  in  its  present  state. 
At  the  left  is  the  east  end  of  the  “ Theseum,”  on  Market  Hill. 


for  convenience  may  be  called  the  Hellenic  Agora,  although, 
of  course,  the  Ancient  Agora  was  also  Hellenic.  Certainly 
the  transfer  had  been  completed  long  before  the  end  of  the 
sixth  century  b.c.  Unfortunately  the  ground  above  the 
Hellenic  Agora  is  now  covered  with  houses  (Fig.  44),  and 
the  excavations  which  have  been  possible  in  scattered  places 
have  thus  far  yielded  no  definite  returns.1  In  fact,  the  only 

1 The  Greek  Archaeological  Society  has  undertaken  the  enormous  task 
of  clearing  this  area,  and  in  a few  years  the  spade  may  furnish  the  key  to 
many  baffling  problems. 


88 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


building  that  can  positively  be  identified  both  by  literary 
evidence  and  by  the  extant  remains  is  the  Stoa  of  Attalus 
(pp.  130  ff.).  As  this  is  a late  structure  of  Hellenistic  times, 
it  yields  no  satisfactory  data  for  the  Hellenic  Agora,  which 
can  scarcely  have  been  so  wide  as  to  reach  to  it,  though 
most  scholars  have  considered  the  Stoa  as  situated  on  the 
Agora’s  east  boundary.  While  the  Stoa  of  the  Giants 
(pp.  134  ff.)  is  a late  structure,  built  of  earlier  architectural 
members,  it  may  be  conjectured  to  be  nearer  the  east  line. 

The  south  boundary  was  the  Areopagus,  some  of  the 
buildings  of  the  Agora  being  well  up  its  slope.  Excavations 
made  in  1897  a hundred  yards  north  of  the  hill,  in  the  in- 
closure of  the  chapel  of  St.  Elias,  revealed  the  corner  of  a 
large  foundation  of  poros  facing  the  east.  This  must  have 
been  on  the  Agora,  but  it  has  not  been  identified. 

On  the  west  the  Agora  was  limited  by  the  low  Colonus 
Agoraeus,  or  Market  Hill.  On  its  slopes  desultory  excava- 
tions (Fig.  45)  begun  in  1896,  have  uncovered  a series  of 


Fig.  45.  — Foundations  excavated  along  the  west  side  of  the  Agora. 

foundations  of  buildings  which  faced  the  east  and  had  their 
fronts  on  the  same  north  and  south  line  (p.  13 1).  These 
were  small  structures ; unfortunately  none  of  them  can 


THE  HELLENIC  AGORA 


89 


be  identified,  but  without  doubt  they  were  either  on  the 
west  edge  of  the  Agora  or  along  the  road  of  approach  from 
the  north;  future  excavations  will  probably  remove  the 
uncertainty. 

The  north  boundary  is  still  more  in  doubt.  Here  the 
commercial  district  crowded  closest,  and,  unhappily,  Pau- 
sanias  passes  this  section  without  a word. 

Probably  the  Agora  was  not  paved.  In  it  in  several 
places  grew  trees,  chiefly  plane  trees,  many  of  them  planted 
by  Cimon ; several  small  springs  furnished  water  to  the 
throngs  of  citizens  who  frequented  it.  We  must  regret 
keenly  that  the  remains  of  this  center  of  Athenian  civic 
life  are  so  few,  while  we  congratulate  ourselves  that  the 
literary  evidence,  together  with  the  general  lay  of  the  land, 
enables  us  to  outline  a fairly  satisfactory  picture. 

We  now  return  to  the  place  where  we  left  our  guide. 
Having  entered  the  Cerameicus  from  the  north  (Fig.  46), 
Pausanias  says:  “ First  upon  the  right  is  the  stoa  called 
the  Royal  Stoa,  where  the  king  sits  while  holding  his  year 
of  office  called  the  kingship.  On  the  tiled  roof  of  this 
Stoa  are  images  of  terra  cotta,  Theseus  casting  Sciron  into 
the  sea  and  Hemera  (Day)  carrying  Cephalus.” 

Later  Pausanias  tells  us  that  the  temple  of  Hephaestus, 
which  is  probably  to  be  identified  with  the  “Theseum” 
(p.  1 16),  was  “ above  the  Cerameicus  and  the  Royal  Stoa.” 
The  Royal  Stoa,  then,  must  have  been  on  the  west  side  of 
the  Agora  and  not  far  from  the  Hephaesteum.  This  situa- 
tion would  be  met  by  any  of  the  foundations  uncovered 
on  the  side  of  the  hill,  but  none  of  them  has  the  usual  shape 
of  a stoa,  a long  narrow  building  with  a colonnade  in  front, 
and  the  precise  situation  cannot  yet  be  determined.  The 
images  on  the  roof  would  seem  to  have  been  acroteria,  or 
ornaments  crowning  the  gables;  if  so,  the  Stoa  may  not 


90 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


Fig.  46.  — Map  of  the  Hellenic  Agora. 

The  boundaries  of  the  Agora  and  the  situation  of  the  majority  of  the  buildings  are 
conjectural. 


THE  HELLENIC  AGORA 


9i 


have  been  of  the  customary  form.  Terra  cottas  of  the 
type  mentioned  are  archaic,  and  this  is  consistent  with  the 
probable  early  date  of  the  Stoa,  possibly  as  early  as  Solon ; 
either  it  was  one  of  the  few  buildings  that  the  Persians 
spared,  or  else  it  was  rebuilt  after  their  departure.  As 
late  as  the  fifth  century  b.c.  it  was  known  simply  as  The 
Stoa. 

In  the  Royal  Stoa  were  deposited  the  stone  wedges  en- 
graved with  Solon’s  laws.  In  or  before  it  were  copies  of 
the  lease  of  the  Lelantine  Plain,  the  reenacted  laws  of 
Draco,  the  laws  of  the  restored  democracy,  and  various 
others.  Here  the  court  of  the  Areopagus  is  said  to  have  met 
upon  occasion,  in  a space  especially  roped  off  for  the  pur- 
pose ; and  here  the  king  archon,  whose  office  was  a connect- 
ing link  with  the  regal  period,  sat  to  judge  in  special  cases, 
particularly  cases  of  impiety.  Here,  therefore,  Euthyphro 
(in  Plato’s  Euthyphro) , summoned  to  meet  a charge  of 
unfilial  conduct  toward  his  father,  meets  Socrates,  who  is 
present  to  answer  the  accusation  of  infidelity  to  the  religion 
of  the  state.  In  front  of  the  Stoa  stood  the  altar  stone  on 
which  the  archons  took  their  oath,  vowing,  if  faithless,  to 
dedicate  a golden  statue  at  Delphi.  Here  also  once  stood 
a statue  of  Pindar,  probably  later  removed  to  the  vicinity 
of  the  temple  of  Ares  (pp.  104  f.). 

“Near  the  stoa,”  continues  Pausanias,  “stand  Conon  and 
Timotheus  son  of  Conon  and  Evagoras,  king  of  Cyprus.  . . . 
Here  stand  Zeus  called  the  Zeus  of  Freedom  (Eleuthe- 
rius)  and  King  Hadrian^  who  was  the  benefactor  of  many, 
and  especially  of  the  city  of  the  Athenians.  And  behind 
these  has  been  built  a stoa.  ...”  Conon,  Timotheus, 
and  Evagoras  are  naturally  brought  together  because  of 
their  illustrious  services  to  Athens  a^ter  her  subjection  to 
Sparta.  The  statues  in  their  honor  were  erected  while 


92 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


they  still  lived.  That  of  Conon,  at  least,  was  of  bronze, 
as  presumably  were  the  others.  The  statue  of  Zeus  was 
given  the  name  of  Savior  as  well  as  Zeus  of  Freedom ; the 
reason  for  neither  epithet  is  clear,  but  probably  the  tradi- 
tion that  the  dedication  was  in  memory  of  the  defeat  of  the 
Persians  is  correct.  Near  the  statue  of  Hadrian,  as  we 
learn  from  an  inscription,  stood  one  of  some  other  Roman 
emperor ; of  what  emperor  we  do  not  know. 

The  statement  of  Pausanias,  repeated  by  Eustathius, 
that  the  statues  were  “near  the  stoa”  is  indefinite,  but  from 
his  later  statement  and  the  words  of  other  writers  we  under- 
stand that  they  stood  in  front  of  the  Stoa  of  Zeus  of  Freedom. 
This  and  the  Royal  Stoa  are  said  by  Harpocration  and 
others  to  have  been  “beside  each  other,”  or,  as  some  would 
translate  the  phrase,  “parallel  to  each  other.”  Since 
Pausanias  has  warned  us  that  he  is  describing  first  the 
buildings  on  the  right,  as  he  proceeds  southward,  we  must 
look  for  the  site  of  this  stoa  south  of  the  Royal  Stoa  and 
near  it,  but  the  foundation  has  not  yet  been  discovered,  or 
at  any  rate  identified.  The  Stoa  of  Zeus  of  Freedom,  known 
also  as  the  Stoa  of  Zeus  the  Savior,  or  simply  as  the  Stoa 
of  Zeus,  was,  like  the  Royal  Stoa,  the  repository  of  important 
law  tablets,  as  well  as  of  the  shields  of  citizens  who  had 
distinguished  themselves  in  battle;  later  the  shields  were 
carried  off  by  Sulla.  Seats  were  set  about  the  walls  of  the 
building,  and  loiterers  made  it  their  rendezvous.  Here 
Socrates  found  Ischomachus  waiting  by  appointment  for 
some  strangers,  and  held  the  conversation  related  in  Xeno- 
phon’s Economicus. 

Pausanias’s  account  continues:  “And  behind  these  has 
been  built  a stoa  having  paintings  of  the  Twelve  Gods,  as 
they  are  called ; on  the  wall  opposite  them  Theseus  is 
depicted,  and  Democracy  and  the  People  (Demus).  The 


THE  HELLENIC  AGORA 


93 


painting  makes  it  clear  that  Theseus  was  the  one  who 
established  equal  political  rights  for  the  Athenians.  . . . 
Here  is  portrayed  also  the  action  near  Mantineia  of  the 
Athenians  who  were  sent  to  aid  the  Lacedaemonians.  . . . 
And  in  the  painting  is  a battle  of  the  cavalry,  in  which  the 
most  conspicuous  participants  are  Grylus  son  of  Xenophon  on 
the  Athenian  side  and  Epameinondas  the  Theban  amid  the 
Boeotian  horse.  Euphranor  painted  these  pictures  for  the 
Athenians.”  The  paintings  of  Euphranor  were  among  the 
most  famous  in  Athens.  From  the  order  in  which  Pausa- 
nias  names  them,  the  picture  of  the  Twelve  Gods  would  seem 
to  have  been  on  the  shorter  north  end  of  the  Stoa,  and  the 
Theseus,  Democracy,  and  Demus  on  the  opposite  or  south 
end,  while  the  battle  of  Mantineia  occupied  the  long  rear 
wall  fronting  the  colonnade.  Eustathius  tells  us  that  the 
figure  of  Zeus  was  inspired  by  the  famous  lines  in  the  first 
book  of  the  Iliad  (vv.  528-530)  : — 

“ Thus  spake  the  dread  son  of  Cronus  and  nodded  his  dark  brows, 
assenting ; 

Then  the  ambrosial  locks  flowed  down  from  the  head  of  the  father, 

From  his  immortal  head,  and  he  made  great  Olympus  to  tremble.” 

But  this  is  probably  an  echo  of  the  story  told  of  the 
statue  of  Zeus,  by  Pheidias,  at  Olympia.  Valerius  Maxi- 
mus says  that  the  figure  of  Poseidon  was  more  majestic 
than  that  of  Zeus,  while  Lucian  speaks  with  particular 
admiration  of  the  coloring  of  the  hair  of  Hera.  Euphranor 
himself  is  reported  by  Pliny  and  Plutarch  to  have  declared 
that  his  Theseus  was  fed  on  meat,  while  the  Theseus  of 
Parrhasius  was  fed  on  roses.  The  cavalry  battle  Pausanias 
mentions  again  elsewhere  and  says  that  a copy  of  the  paint- 
ing was  at  Mantineia ; but  he  was  misinformed  as  to  the 
history,  for  Epameinondas  had  no  part  in  the  engagement. 


94 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


Continuing  the  last  sentence,  Pausanias  adds : “And 
near  by  he  [Euphranor]  made  in  the  temple  the  Apollo 
surnamed  Paternal  (Patroiis).  One  Apollo  in  front  of  the 
temple  was  made  by  Leochares,  while  Calamis  made  the 
other,  which  they  call  the  Averter  of  Evil  (Alexicacus) . 
They  say  that  the  god  got  this  name  because  by  an  oracle 
from  Delphi  he  ended  the  pestilential  malady  which 
oppressed  them  at  the  time  of  the  Peloponnesian  War.” 
We  have  no  other  topographical  reference  to  the  temple  of 
Paternal  Apollo,  save  that  it  was  in  the  Agora,  but  ap- 
parently it  was  just  south  of  the  Stoa  of  Zeus,  where,  like 
most  Greek  temples,  it  could  face  the  east.  The  sanctuary 
of  Paternal  Apollo  is  singled  out  by  Demosthenes  among  the 
shrines  to  which  a certain  lad  was  led  upon  being  intro- 
duced into  his  father’s  phratry.  A representation  of 
Paternal  Apollo  holding  a lyre  is  found  on  an  altar  at 
Athens;  whether  or  not  this  is  copied  from  the  statue  of 
Euphranor  cannot  be  told.  Pausanias’s  association  of  the 
Apollo  Averter  of  Evil  with  the  famous  plague  of  430  b.c.  is 
questionable,  if  the  statue  was  made  by  the  elder  Calamis, 
who  belonged  to  the  previous  generation;  the  artist  may 
have  been  the  younger  Calamis,  whose  identity  is  now 
fairly  well  established.  With  the  statues  in  front  of  the 
temple  was  an  altar  which  in  the  time  of  Lycurgus  was 
gilded  by  a certain  Neoptolemus. 

Without  designation  of  locality  Pausanias  now  speaks  of 
three  buildings  which  were  grouped  together,  the  Metroum, 
or  sanctuary  of  the  Mother  of  the  Gods,  the  Buleuterium,  or 
Senate  House,  and  the  Tholus,  or  Rotunda.  “A  sanctuary 
has  also  been  built  of  the  Mother  of  the  Gods,  whose  statue 
was  made  by  Pheidias ; and  near  it  the  Buleuterium  of  the 
Five  Hundred,  as  they  are  called,  who  are  the  annual  sena- 
tors of  the  Athenians.  In  the  Buleuterium  are  a wooden 


THE  HELLENIC  AGORA 


95 


image  of  Zeus  the  Councilor,  an  Apollo  by  Peisias,  and  a 
Demus  by  Lyson.  The  Thesmothetae  [the  six  minor 
archons]  were  painted  by  Protogenes  the  Caunian;  01- 
biades  painted  the  portrait  of  Callipus,  who  led  the  Athe- 
nians to  Thermopylae  to  beat  back  the  invasion  of  the  Gala- 
tians into  Greece.  . . . Near  the  Buleuterium  of  the  Five 
Hundred  is  the  Tholus,  as  it  is  called.  Here  the  presidents  of 
the  senate  sacrifice,  and  here  are  certain  images  made  of 
silver,  not  of  large  size.”  Though  Pausanias’s  words  are 
not  explicit,  we  have  no  reason  to  think  that  he  has  changed 
his  order  of  description,  and  we  may  look  for  these  buildings 
at  the  south  end  of  the  Agora. 

Some  inscriptions  mentioning  the  Metroum  have  re- 
cently been  found,  but  no  foundations  have  been  discovered. 
Other  evidence  leads  to  the  same  conclusion  regarding  the 
site.  A story  is  related  by  Aeschines  ( Timarchus  60  ff.)  of 
a certain  man  who  flees  for  refuge  to  the  Agora  and  takes 
his  seat  on  the  altar  of  the  Mother  of  the  Gods  just  as  the 
people  are  hurrying  to  an  assembly  on  the  Pnyx;  where- 
upon his  pursuers,  fearing  that  their  misdeeds  will  be  found 
out,  run  to  the  altar  and  beg  him  to  retire.  From  this  we 
infer  that  the  altar,  which  was  doubtless  before  the  shrine, 
was  plainly  visible  to  persons  passing  along  the  road  which 
rounds  the  west  end  of  the  Areopagus  and  leads  directly 
to  the  Pnyx.  Furthermore,  Arrian,  the  biographer  of 
Alexander  the  Great,  in  speaking  of  the  Tyrannicides,  says 
(. Anab . 3,  16,  8)  that  they  “ stood  in  the  Cerameicus  where 
we  go  up  to  the  Acropolis,  just  about  opposite  the  Metroum 
and  not  far  from  the  altar  of  the  Eudanemi.”  Again, 
Pausanias  in  a later  passage  (p.  98)  speaks  of  the  statues  of 
the  Namesake  Heroes  as  “ higher  up”  than  the  group  of 
buildings  under  consideration,  and  we  know  from  other 
sources  that  these  statues  were  “in  a conspicuous  place,” 


96 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


and  that  public  notices  were  posted  near  them ; while 
Aristotle  mentions  a certain  pillar  as  at  once  “near  the 
Namesake  Heroes”  and  “in  front  of  the  Buleuterium.” 
Arrian’s  contemporaries  doubtless  knew  what  he  meant 
when  he  said,  “where  we  go  up  to  the  Acropolis;”  unfor- 
tunately we  cannot  tell  whether  he  means  the  Panathenaic 
Road  or  the  shorter  path  ascending  to  the  east  of  the  Are- 
opagus. Nor  do  we  know  the  precise  situation  of  the  Ty- 
rannicides (p.  105)  or  of  the  altar  of  the  Eudanemi.  The 
Namesake  Heroes  (p.  98)  were  evidently  well  up  the  slope 
of  the  Areopagus,  where  they  could  easily  be  seen.  So  the 
network  of  evidence  is  frail,  but  we  cannot  go  far  astray  in 
looking  for  the  site  of  the  group,  as  has  been  stated,  at  the 
south  end  of  the  Agora,  possibly  to  the  west  of  the  road. 
This  situation  is  consistent  with  Pausanias’s  order  of  treat- 
ment, and  here  the  altar  would  be  in  view  of  persons  passing 
from  the  Agora  to  the  Pnyx.  Then  “just  about  opposite 
the  Metroum”  we  should  find  the  Tyrannicides,  near  the 
branching  of  the  path  to  the  Acropolis,  while  the  Namesake 
Heroes  will  be  higher  up,  so  that  the  pillar  near  them  will 
be  in  front  of  the  Buleuterium. 

The  Metroum  seems  to  have  included  in  its  precinct  the 
Buleuterium,  and  possibly  also  the  Tholus,  thus  bringing 
the  entire  group  under  divine  protection,  though  a scholiast 
(on  Aeschines,  Ctesiph . 187)  declares  that  “the  Athenians 
made  the  Metroum  a part  of  the  Buleuterium.”  Knowing 
that  he  was  near  death,  Lycurgus  (Vit.  X or.  842 r)  “or- 
dered that  he  be  brought  into  the  Metroum  and  the  Buleu- 
terium,” that  he  might  render  account  of  his  transactions 
with  the  state.  Somewhere  in  the  precinct  was  the  famous 
“tub”  of  Diogenes;  and  here  stood  a statue  of  a certain 
magician  with  whom  a Byzantine  writer,  oddly  enough, 
connects  the  founding  of  the  precinct. 


THE  HELLENIC  AGORA 


97 


A temple  of  the  Mother  of  the  Gods  is  not  directly  at- 
tested, but  the  statue  made  by  Pheidias,  or  his  pupil  Agora- 
critus,  probably  was  a cult  statue  and  implies  a temple. 
The  goddess  was  represented  as  seated  and  holding  a 
tympanum  in  her  hand,  with  a lion  beneath  her  chair. 
Numerous  reliefs  of  this  type  have  been  found,  which  may 
have  been  inspired  directly  or  indirectly  by  the  statue  of 
the  Metroum.  Apparently  the  Mother  worshiped  here 
was  originally  Demeter,  but  later  she  was  identified  with 
the  Asiatic  Rhea  Cybele. 

Somewhere  in  the  sanctuary  were  preserved  the  important 
documents  of  the  state.  Here  were  the  original  papyri  of  de- 
crees of  both  senate  and  assembly,  financial  and  other  records, 
as  well  as  valuable  papers  concerning  individuals,  such  as 
Meletus’s  charge  and  the  court’s  finding  against  Socrates,  the 
will  of  Epicurus,  and  official  copies  of  the  tragedies  of  Aeschy- 
lus, Sophocles,  and  Euripides.  All  these  were  under  the 
charge  of  successive  chairmen  selected  from  the  presidents  of 
the  senate,  each  of  them  holding  the  key  for  a single  day. 

The  Buleuterium  must  have  been  a large  building.  Prob- 
ably near  the  entrance  was  the  xoanon,  or  wooden  image, 
of  Zeus  Bulaeus  (Councilor),  and  another  of  Athena  Bulaea, 
together  with  the  public  hearth  and  altar.  On  this  altar 
Theramenes  took  refuge,  and  from  it  he  was  dragged,  at 
the  command  of  Critias,  by  the  Eleven  under  Satyrus. 
The  main  hall  was  provided  with  a bema  for  speakers  and 
with  seats,  numbered  either  individually  or  by  tribes,  for 
the  Five  Hundred,  and  special  seats  for  the  presidents ; 
the  spectators  were  barred  out  by  a wooden  railing.  Pau- 
sanias  mentions  some  of  the  decorations  of  the  building,  the 
statues  and  paintings.  Numerous  important  law  tablets 
were  set  up  outside,  notably  the  edict  against  traitors, 
and  copies  of  Solon’s  laws. 


H 


98 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


The  official  name  for  the  Tholus  was  Skias  (Umbrella). 
The  building  was  circular  and  bore  a conical  roof  of  stone ; 
in  general  appearance  it  may  have  resembled  the  Tholus  of 
Epidaurus.  In  the  Tholus  the  fifty  presidents  of  the  senate 
dined  each  day  at  the  state’s  expense  during  their  term  of 
office ; they  even  spent  the  night  there  in  times  of  public 
stress.  Here  were  kept  the  standards  of  weights  and  meas- 
ures under  the  care  of  a slave  of  the  state,  who  was  guarded 
by  the  chairman  of  the  presidents.  In  the  Tholus  Socrates 
and  four  others  were  ordered  by  the  Thirty  to  arrest  Leon 
the  Salaminian,  that  he  might  be  put  to  death  — and  dared 
to  disobey. 

We  pass  on  from  this  group  of  buildings,  “and  higher  up 
stand  statues  of  Heroes  from  whom  the  tribes  of  the  Athe- 
nians later  got  their  names.”  These  Heroes,  who  gave  their 
names  to  the  ten  tribes  established  by  Cleisthenes,  were 
Erechtheus,  Aegeus,  Pandion,  Leos,  Acamas,  Oeneus,  Ce- 
crops,  Hippothoon,  Ajax,  and  Antiochus.  In  addition  to 
these,  Pausanias  names  the  statues  of  Attalus,  Ptolemy,  and 
Hadrian,  Namesake  Heroes  of  the  tribes  afterward  formed 
(p.  41).  The  tribes  named  in  honor  of  Demetrius  and 
Antigonus  had  been  abolished  before  Pausanias’s  time,  and 
beyond  doubt  their  statues  had  been  destroyed.  Other 
statues  were  not  allowed  near  the  Namesake  Heroes,  and 
the  site  was  one  of  great  honor.  The  “conspicuous  place” 
where  the  Eponymi  stood  served,  as  has  been  stated,  for 
the  publication  of  bulletins,  such  as  the  list  of  men  drafted 
for  military  service  and  copies  of  proposed  laws.  The 
names  of  benefactors  of  the  state,  of  ephebi,  and  of  traitors 
were  posted  here  on  stone  tablets. 

Beyond  the  Namesake  Heroes  stood  several  important 
statues.  Of  these  Pausanias  says:  “After  the  figures  of 
the  Eponymi  are  statues  of  gods,  Amphiaraus  and  Peace 


THE  HELLENIC  AGORA 


99 


carrying  the  child  Wealth.  Here  too  is  a bronze  statue  of 
Lycurgus  son  of  Lycophron  and  a statue  of  Callias,  who, 
as  most  of  the  Athenians  say,  brought  about  the  peace 
between  the  Greeks  and  Artaxerxes  son  of  Xerxes.  There 
is  also  a statue  of  Demosthenes.”  Our  evidence  for  the 
location  of  these  statues  is  very  slight.  The  statue  of 
Demosthenes  is  said  by  the  author  of  the  Lives  of  the 
Ten  Orators  to  have  been  “near  the  Roped-in-space  (Peri- 
schoenisma)  and  the  altar  of  the  Twelve  Gods”  (p.  32); 
that  is,  near  the  southwest  corner  of  the  Agora.  Since 
Amphiaraus,  like  the  Semnae,  was  a subterraneous  deity, 
the  plausible  suggestion  has  been  made  that  his  statue  and 
cult  may  have  been  situated  near  the  sanctuary  of  the 
Semnae  at  the  northeast  corner  of  the  Areopagus  (p.  361). 
These  data,  together  with  Pausanias’s  statement  that  they 
were  “after  the  figures  of  the  Eponymi,”  may  suffice  to 
locate  the  group  along  the  north  slope  of  the  Areopagus. 

Amphiaraus  was  really  a Theban  rather  than  an  Attic 
divinity.  The  Amphiareum  at  Oropus  came  into  Athenian 
control  at  the  beginning  of  the  Peloponnesian  War,  and  the 
statue  at  Athens  may  have  been  set  up  at  that  time ; but 
this  is  only  a conjecture. 

The  statue  of  Peace  carrying  Wealth  is  happily  better 
known.  An  Athenian  coin  of  the  time  of  Hadrian  repre- 
sents a female  figure  with  long  robes  and  staff  in  her  right 
hand,  while  on  her  left  arm  she  bears  a child  holding  a 
cornucopia.  The  same  motive  has  been  identified  in  a 
marble  statue  now  in  the  Glyptothek  at  Munich,  without 
doubt  a replica  of  the  statue  of  the  Agora  (Fig.  47).  Other 
copies  of  both  figures  have  since  been  found,  notably  a fine 
torso  of  Peace  in  the  Metropolitan  Museum  at  New  York 
(Fig.  48)  and  a copy  of  the  child  discovered  at  Peiraeus 
(Fig.  49).  The  stately  figure  of  Peace  rests  on  the  left 


IOO 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


foot  and  is  clothed  in  a full  chiton  girded  high  and  folded 
over  to  the  waist ; her  flowing  hair  falls  upon  her  shoulders. 
Her  right  hand,  as  the  coin  bears  witness,  held  a scepter, 

while  the  left  arm  supported 
a cornucopia,  not  a vase, 
as  has  been  restored  in  the 
Munich  copy. 

The  original  statue  may 
have  been  discovered  and 
destroyed  in  1672.  The  let- 
ter of  that  year  written  by 
Babin  (p.  3)  narrates  the 
finding,  in  the  ruins  of  an 
old  church,  of  “a  statue  of 
marble,  which  represents  the 
Holy  Virgin  holding  her  son 
in  her  arms.”  With  icono- 
clastic ardor  the  “idol”  was 
at  once  broken  in  pieces.  If, 
however,  as  some  think,  the 
original  was  of  bronze,  the 
one  destroyed  must  have 
been  a copy. 

Pausanias  mentions  the 
statue  of  Peace  and  Wealth 
again  in  a later  book  (9, 16, 2), 
and  there  says  that  it  was  the  work  of  Cephisodotus,  a 
successor  of  Pheidias  and  probably  the  father  of  Praxiteles. 
The  style  of  the  extant  copies  is  consistent  with  its  attri- 
bution to  a sculptor  of  this  period,  and  the  statue  is  ac- 
cordingly a valuable  document  in  the  study  of  the  history 
of  art.  Cephisodotus  flourished  at  the  end  of  the  fifth 
century  b.c. 


Fig.  47. — Copy  of  the  statue  of 
Eirene  and  Plutus,  by  Cephiso- 
dotus (Glyptothek,  Munich). 


THE  HELLENIC  AGORA 


IOI 


The  beneficent  works  of  Lycurgus 
entitled  him  to  the  grateful  memory 
of  Athens  (pp.  39  f.).  This  statue  in 
the  Agora  was  set  up  in  307/6  b.c. 
in  accordance  with  a decree  proposed 
by  a certain  Stratocles.  A piece  of 
Hymettian  marble  which  probably 
is  a part  of  the  base  has  been 
found.  It  bears  an  inscription  which, 
as  restored,  reads : “ Lycurgus  son 
of  Lycophron,  a Butad.”  Fragments 
of  the  base  of  another  statue  of 
Lycurgus  have  also  been  found. 

Whether  any  such  peace  between 
Athens  and  Persia  as  is  attributed 
to  Callias  was  ever  made,  is  doubt- 
ful, but  the  tradition  dates  from  the  fourth  century  b.c. 
Callias’s  statue  is  not  otherwise  known ; not  accidental, 
perhaps,  was  its  erection  near  the  statue  of  Peace,  or, 

since  he  was  the  earlier,  the  statue 
of  Peace  near  his. 

We  have  a little  more  information 
about  the  statue  of  the  great  orator. 
The  sculptor  was  Polyeuctus,  and 
the  statue  was  set  up  in  280/  279 
b.c.  according  to  a decree  proposed 
by  Demochares,  Demosthenes’s 
nephew.  In  his  life  of  the  orator 
Plutarch  tells  us  that  he  was  repre- 
sented with  clasped  hands,  and  that 
a plane  tree  stood  near  by.  A sol- 
dier, on  leaving  the  city,  hid  his 
money  in  the  hands  of  the  statue, 


Fig.  49.  — Plutus;  a copy 
found  in  Peiraeus 
(National  Museum, 
Athens). 


Fig.  48.  — Eirene  (Metro- 
politan Museum,  New 
York). 


102 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


and  the  leaves  from  the  tree  helped  to  conceal  the  treas- 
ure. This  statue  was  probably  the  original  of  extant 
statues  and  heads  of  Demosthenes,  which  have  some 
differences,  but  agree  in  the  general  features,  particularly 

the  expression  of  the  stammer- 
ing lips  (Fig.  50).  Very  sug- 
gestive is  Lord  Macaulay’s 
characterization  of  the  Vatican 
copy.1  “The  Demosthenes  is 
very  noble.  There  can  be  no 
doubt  about  the  face  of  Demo- 
sthenes. There  are  two  busts 
of  him  in  the  Vatican,  besides 
this  statue.  They  are  all  ex- 
actly alike,  being  distinguished 
by  the  strong  projection  of  the 
upper  lip.  The  face  is  lean, 
wrinkled,  and  haggard ; the  ex- 
pression singularly  stern  and 
intense.  You  see  that  he  was 
no  trifler,  no  jester,  no  voluptu- 
ary ; but  a man  whose  soul  was 
devoured  by  ambition,  and  con- 
stantly on  the  stretch.”  The 
restored  hands  of  the  Vatican 
copy  hold  a scroll ; the  correct 
restoration  has  recently  been 
made,  on  a cast,  from  hands 
found  in  the  garden  of  the  Barberini  palace  at  Rome. 
Another  copy,  almost  like  that  of  the  Vatican,  is  in 
England. 


Fig.  50.  — Demosthenes ; from 
a cast  after  the  Vatican  copy, 
restored  with  clasped  hands 
instead  of  scroll. 


1 Quoted  by  Frazer,  Pausanias , II,  90,  from  Trevelyan’s  Life  and  Letters 
of  Lord  Macaulay. 


THE  HELLENIC  AGORA 


103 


“Near  the  image  of  Demosthenes  is  a sanctuary  of  Ares. 
Here  are  set  up  two  statues  of  Aphrodite.  The  statue  of 
Ares  is  by  Alcamenes ; the  Athena,  by  a Parian  named 
Locrus.  Here  is  also  a statue  of  Enyo,  made  by  the  sons 
of  Praxiteles.  About  the  temple  stand  Heracles  and 
Theseus  and  Apollo  binding  his  hair  with  a fillet.  Other 
statues  are  Calades,  who  is  said  to  have  written  laws 
[nomes?]  for  the  Athenians,  and  Pindar,  who  received 
the  statue  and  other  honors  at  the  hands  of  the  Athenians 
for  his  praise  of  their  city  in  his  poetry.’ ’ Only  one  other 
literary  reference  to  the  temple  of  Ares  exists,  a passage  of 
a Byzantine  writer  (Georgios  Kodinos,  De  orig.  Constant. 
47,  14),  who  mentions  “the  columns  of  the  elephants  of  the 
Golden  Gate  brought  from  Athens,  from  the  temple  of 
Ares,  by  Theodosius  the  Little.”  This  has  no  topo- 
graphical value,  and  in  addition  we  have  only  Pausanias’s 
statements  that  the  sanctuary  was  “near  the  statue  of 
Demosthenes,”  and  that  the  Tyrannicides  were  “not 
far”  from  it;  we  are  perhaps  justified  in  assuming  that 
the  precinct  was  near  the  Areopagus,  which  was  often, 
rightly  or  wrongly,  called  the  Hill  of  Ares  (pp.  357  f.). 
Possibly  it  stood  on  or  near  the  site  of  the  church  of 
St.  Athanasius. 

The  suggestion  has  been  made  that  the  Borghese  Ares 
(Fig.  51)  is  a copy  of  the  statue  of  Alcamenes.  Various 
other  replicas  are  known  of  this  type,  the  original  of 
which  must  have  been  famous,  but  the  evidence  to  sup- 
port the  identification  with  the  statue  of  the  temple  is  not 
strong. 

Of  the  other  statues  in  and  about  the  temple  of  Ares 
little  can  be  said.  Aphrodite  is  often  associated  with 
Ares,  as  with  Hephaestus.  Neither  the  Athena  of  Locrus 
the  Parian  nor  the  sculptor  himself  is  otherwise  known. 


104 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


Enyo,  the  personification  of  the  horror  of  war,  is  named 
with  Ares  and  Zeus  Geleon  on  a base  found  on  the  Acro- 
polis. The  sculptors  of  the  statue  of  Enyo,  the  “sons  of 
Praxiteles,”  were  Cephisodotus 
and  Timarchus,  who  made 


Fig.  51.  — Borghese  Ares  Fig.  52. — Theseus,  commonly 

(Louvre  Museum,  Paris).  known  as  “Apollo  of  the 

Omphalos  ” (National  Mu- 

statues  also  in  other  parts  of  seum,  Athens). 

Greece.  Calades  is  otherwise 

quite  unknown.  A valuable  suggestion  as  to  the  identifi- 
cation of  the  Theseus  has  lately  been  made  (Fig.  52). 

Of  the  statue  of  Pindar  the  Pseudo-Aeschines  says 
(. Ep . 4,  3)  that  the  poet  was  represented  as  a “draped  and 
seated  figure  with  a lyre  and  diadem  and  a book  unrolled 


THE  HELLENIC  AGORA 


105 


on  his  knees.”  He  further  tells  us  that  this  famous  statue 
was  “in  front  of  the  Royal  Stoa”  (p.  91).  At  present  no 
consistent  arrangement  of  the  buildings  can  be  found  that 
will  admit  of  the  placing  of  the  statue  near  both  the  Royal 
Stoa  and  the  temple  of  Ares.  Either  the  statue  must  have 
been  moved  to  the  new  site  before  Pausanias ’s  time,  or  else 
one  or  the  other  of  the  statements  must  be  wrong.  By  the 
“other  honors”  which  Pindar  enjoyed,  Pausanias  doubtless 
means  the  double  payment  by  the  Athenians  of  the  fine 
imposed  on  Pindar  by  the  jealous  Thebans  for  his  praise  of 
Athens  as,  “O,  resplendent,  violet-crowned,  glorious  Athens, 
famous  in  song  and  story,  pillar  of  Greece,  city  divine.” 
“Not  far  away,”  Pausanias  goes  on,  “stand  Harmodius 
and  Aristogeiton,  who  slew  Hipparchus ; the  reason  for 
their  deed  and  the  manner  of  the  doing  of  it  have  been  told 
by  others.  The  one  pair  is  by  Critius ; the  archaic  pair  is 
by  Antenor.  When  the  Athenians  deserted  Athens  and 
Xerxes  took  the  city,  he  carried  off  the  latter  as  spoils,  and 
Antiochus  sent  them  back  afterwards  to  the  Athenians.” 
The  assassination  of  Hipparchus  took  place  in  514  b.c. 
(p.  33),  and  the  first  group  of  the  Tyrannicides,  by  Antenor, 
must  have  been  set  up  soon  after  that  date,  or  certainly 
before  480  b.c.,  when  it  was  carried  off  by  Xerxes.  The 
lost  statues  were  at  once  replaced  by  Critius  and  Nesiotes  — 
not  Critius  alone,  as  Pausanias  says  — and  stood  through- 
out the  classic  period.  The  original  group  was  restored  by 
Alexander,  or  Seleucus,  or  Antiochus ; ancient  authorities 
differ.  The  situation  of  the  statues  has  already  been  dis- 
cussed. The  Orchestra  near  which  they  stood  was  prob- 
ably the  place  where,  according  to  Plato’s  Apology , the 
activities  of  the  booksellers  were  centered ; perhaps  it  was 
the  scene  of  musical  and  dramatic  contests  before  the 
construction  of  the  great  theater  (p.  192). 


io6 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


Several  representations  of  the  Tyrannicides  have  been 
preserved.  They  appear,  for  example,  as  the  blazon  of 
Athena’s  shield  on  a Panathenaic  vase  (Fig.  53),  on  the 

arm  of  a marble  throne,  on  coins, 
and  on  vase-fragments  from  the 
tomb  of  Dexileos  (p.  374).  Usu- 
ally they  are  represented  as 
advancing,  side  by  side,  with 
outstretched  arms  and  brand- 
ished swords  to  the  attack. 
From  these  minor  copies  have 
been  identified  two  statues  of 
the  Naples  Museum,  which  had 
been  posed  as  duelists  (Fig.  54). 
These  represent,  fairly  accu- 
rately, the  ancient  statues, 
which,  however,  being  of  bronze, 
dispensed  with  the  supporting  tree-trunks,  necessary  in  the 
more  fragile  marble,  and  were  on  one  base.  The  present 
head  of  Aristogeiton  on  the  copy  at  Naples  has  been  added 
from  a statue  of  a much  later  period,  and  is  obviously 
inconsistent  both  with  the  dry  rendering  of  the  body  and 
with  the  archaic  head  of  Harmodius ; the  arms,  too,  are 
wrongly  restored.  When  these  errors  have  been  corrected, 
we  gain  a very  clear  notion  of  the  ancient  statues  (Fig.  55). 
Whether  the  extant  reproductions  are  from  the  group  of 
Antenor  or  from  that  of  Critius  and  Nesiotes  has  been  much 
discussed ; in  all  probability  they  portray  the  later  group. 
From  the  fourth  century  B.c.,  the  two  groups  stood  side 
by  side. 

After  leaving  the  Tyrannicides,  Pausanias  names  the 
next  point  of  interest  with  no  clew  as  to  its  situation.  “In 
front  of  the  entrance  to  the  theater  which  they  call  the 


Fig.  53. — Tyrannicides,  as 
blazon  on  Athena’s  shield 
on  a Panathenaic  vase. 


THE  HELLENIC  AGORA 


Odeum  are  statues  of  Egyptian  kings.”  These  he  mentions, 
in  what  is  for  us  a long  digression,  as  Ptolemy  Philometor 
and  his  daughter  Berenice,  Ptolemy  Philadelphus  and  his 
sister  Arsinoe,  Ptolemy  Lagus  and  his  son  Ptolemy  Soter. 
He  adds,  “ Beyond  the 
Egyptians  are  Philip 
and  Alexander  the  son 
of  Philip,”  and  beside 
these  the  statues  of  Lysi- 
machus  and  Pyrrhus. 

Finally  he  says,  “ As  you 
enter  the  Odeum  at 
Athens,  among  other 
things  is  a Dionysus 
worth  seeing;  and  near 
by  is  a fountain.  . . .” 

This  Odeum,  or  Music 
Hall,  is  thought  by  some 
to  be  identical  with  the 
Agrippeum  spoken  of  by 
Philostratus  (Vit.  soph. 

2,  5,  3)  as  “in  the  Cera- 
meicus,”  but  we  do  not 
know  its  history  or  its 
situation,  save  that  it  Fig.  54. 
was  near  the  fountain 
whose  site  we  are  soon  to  visit.  To  the  identification 
suggested  the  objections  may  be  raised  that  a building 
near  the  fountain,  that  is,  at  the  southwest  corner  of  the 
Areopagus,  would  not  be  “in  the  Cerameicus,”  and  that  the 
statues  at  its  entrance  are  of  an  earlier  date  than  Agrippa 
(cf.  p.  238) ; but  Philostratus  may  be  using  the  name  Cera- 
meicus as  a general  term  synonymous  with  Agora,  and  this 


Tyrannicides  (Naples 
Museum). 


io8 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


may  not  be  the  original  site  of  the  statues.  Agrippa  may 
have  built  over  an  earlier  structure  and  have  given  it  his 
own  name. 

To  continue  with  Pausanias  : “ And  near  by  is  a fountain ; 
they  call  it  Enneacrunus,  since  it  was  adorned  with  nine 

spouts  by  Peisistratus. 
Wells  exist  throughout 
all  the  city,  but  this  is 
the  only  fountain.”  No 
point  in  Athenian  topog- 
raphy has  been  more 
discussed  than  the  “En- 
neacrunus  episode.”  We 
have  already  seen  (p.  30) 
that  Thucydides  men- 
tions the  fountain  as 
having  been  recon- 
structed “ by  the  ty- 
rants ” and  renamed 
Enneacrunus,  or  Nine- 
spouts,  instead  of  Cal- 
lirrhoe,  or  Fair-flowing. 
In  the  bed  of  the  Ilissus 
just  south  of  the  Olym- 
pieum  is  a Callirrhoe 
(Fig.  56)  whose  name  is 
well  attested,  and  many 
have  thought  that  this  is  the  spring  in  question,  the 
alleged  break  in  Pausanias’s  narrative  being  explained  in 
various  ways.  But  the  supposition  is  far  easier  that  the 
spring  which  the  excavations  uncovered  (p.  83)  between 
the  Areopagus  and  the  Pnyx  is  the  Enneacrunus  of  Pau- 
sanias and  Thucydides. 


Fig.  55. — Tyrannicides;  the  Naples 
group  restored  and  corrected 
(Brunswick  Museum). 


THE  HELLENIC  AGORA 


109 


At  this  spot  are  the  remains  of  an  extensive  system  of 
waterworks.  The  original  spring,  Callirrhoe,  comprised 
a large  rock-hewn  chamber,  to  which  steps  descended 
through  a corridor  (now  closed  to  the  public  by  an  iron 
gate),  a well  at  the  rear  of  this  chamber  with  a parapet  in 


Fig.  56.  — Callirrhoe  and  rock  ridge  in  the  bed  of  the  Ilissus. 

The  Ilissus  in  summer  when  the  stream  has  shrunk  to  a mere  thread;  in  freshets  the  flow 
passes  over  the  ridge  of  rock. 

front,  and  a large  cistern  connecting  with  the  chamber  and 
with  the  outside  by  corridors  and  steps  (Fig.  57).  The 
additions  of  Peisistratus  lay  in  front  of  Callirrhoe  and  con- 
sisted of  a series  of  reservoirs,  a main  storage  basin,  whence 
water  was  drawn  in  jars  by  a rope,  and  another  basin,  whose 
water  flowed  through  nine  lions’  heads  into  the  jars  set 
beneath,  quite  as  portrayed  in  ancient  vase  paintings 
(Fig.  58).  The  last  is  the  Nine-spouts.  The  fountain  was 
adorned  with  columns ; in  front  was  a large  square  which 
opened  on  the  road.  To  reenforce  the  natural  supply  of 
water  a large  conduit  with  various  branches  was  constructed, 
leading  from  the  valley  of  Ilissus  in  the  foothills  of  Mt. 


no 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


Hymettus.  In  the  city  this  conduit  passes  through  the 
present  palace  gardens  and  along  the  southern  slope  of  the 
Acropolis  to  the  valley  of  the  Ancient  Agora.  The  tunnel 
is  sometimes  high  enough  to  allow  a man  to  stand  upright  in 
it,  and  through  it  run  the  clay  pipes,  joined  with  lead,  to 


Fig.  57.  — Plan  of  Enneacrunus  and  adjacent  sites,  restored. 


carry  the  water  to  Enneacrunus.  In  Roman  times  the 
conduit  was  extended  to  supply  other  sites  in  this  region. 

The  system  is  undoubtedly  of  the  time  of  Peisistratus, 
and  rivals  the  similar  aqueducts  made  in  this  period  by 
other  tyrants,  Periander  of  Corinth,  Polycrates  of  Samos, 
and  Theagenes  of  Megara. 

Before  leaving  this  region  we  must  visit  a site  probably 
identified  correctly  as  the  Pnyx,  which  Pausanias  fails  to 


THE  HELLENIC  AGORA 


hi 


mention.  It  lies  on  the  side  of  the  hill  (Fig.  59)  of  the  same 
name  and  commands  a wide  view  over  this  section  of  the 
city.  Here  seems  to  have  been  a meeting  place  of  the 


Fig.  58.  — Callirrhoe-Enneacrunus ; vase  painting. 


Athenian  assembly,  although  the  view  that  this  was  the 
Pnyx  has  met,  and  still  meets,  vigorous  opposition.  The 
present  construction  dates  from  the  fourth  century  b.c., 
but  the  existence  of  an  earlier  wall  and  of  rock-hewn  steps 
beneath  the  area  point  to  its  use  for  the  same  or  some  other 
purpose  prior  to  that  period. 

The  Pnyx,  as  we  now  have  it,  consists  of  an  irregularly 
semicircular  space  nearly  400  feet  in  its  longitudinal  diam- 
eter and  about  230  feet  wide  (Fig.  60).  The  ground  here 
by  nature  slopes  toward  the  north,  and  the  area  was  raised 
on  its  curved  side  by  a supporting  wall  of  carefully  joined 
stones,  some  of  them  of  enormous  size.  By  means  of  this 
wall  the  slope  in  ancient  times  was  probably  turned  toward 
the  south,  or  rather  southwest.  In  the  obtuse  angle  at 
the  middle  of  the  south  side  lies  the  bema,  or  orators’ 


Fig.  59.  — Pnyx,  at  the  left,  and  Hill  of  the  Nymphs,  at  the  right,  as  seen  from  the  Areopagus. 

The  national  observatory  stands  on  the  summit  of  the  Hill  of  the  Nymphs. 


THE  HELLENIC  AGORA 


ii3 


platform  (Fig.  61).  The  rock  has  been  hewn  down  verti- 
cally along  this  side  of  the  area,  a portion  at  the  east 
corner  never  having  been  removed,  and  the  bema  with  its 
steps  is  cut  from  a projection  of  the  solid  rock.  Niches  for 


votive  offerings  are  cut  in  the  scarped  rock  at  one  side  of  the 
bema,  and  inscriptions  referring  to  Most  High  Zeus  indi- 
cate that  a sanctuary  of  Zeus  was  at  some  time  located  here. 
Above  and  behind  the  bema  are  seats,  probably  seats  of 
honor,  cut  from  the  rock  and  facing  the  assembly,  while 
back  of  these  are  remains  of  an  altar  and  various  bases 
belonging  to  some  shrine. 

Returning  again  to  Pausanias,  we  read:  “ Temples  are 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


114 

built  beyond  [above?]  the  fountain;  one  of  Demeter  and 
Cora,  while  in  that  of  Triptolemus  is  a statue.  ...  As  I 
was  about  to  continue  this  narrative  and  state  the  explana- 
tion for  the  sanctuary  at  Athens  called  the  Eleusinium,  a 
vision  prevented  me.  So  I will  turn  to  what  is  holy  to 
write  to  all.  In  front  of  this  temple  in  which  is  the  statue 
of  Triptolemus  is  a bronze  bull  being  led  to  sacrifice ; and 
here  is  a seated  statue  of  Epimenides  the  Cnossian.”  The 


Fig.  61.  — Orators’  platform  on  the  Pnyx;  in  the  rear  the  Acropolis. 


temples  of  Demeter  and  Triptolemus  were  probably  in  the 
Eleusinium,  though  Pausanias  does  not  expressly  say  that 
this  was  the  case.  The  Eleusinium  is  named  by  Plutarch  as 
one  of  three  most  sacred  spots  in  the  city,  the  other  two 
being  the  Acropolis  and  the  Theseum ; his  view  seems  to 
be  in  part  an  inference  from  the  statement  of  Thucydides 
that  these  were  the  most  notable  inclosures  not  occupied 
by  the  crowds  of  Attic  countrymen  who  thronged  the  city 
during  the  second  year  of  the  Peloponnesian  War.  Clement 
of  Alexandria,  whose  word  is  supported  by  inscriptions,  says 
(. Protrept . 13)  that  the  Eleusinium  lay  “at  the  foot  of  the 
Acropolis.”  The  order  of  mention  by  Pausanias  seems  to 
limit  this  vague  statement  to  the  western  foot,  and  this  is 
amply  proved  by  other  evidence.  Xenophon,  for  example, 


THE  HELLENIC  AGORA 


115 

advises  ( Hipparch . 3,  2)  his  ideal  cavalry  leader  to  display 
his  squadron  by  making  the  round  of  the  shrines  in  the 
Agora  and  then  “to  ride  up  at  full  speed  by  tribes  to  the 
Eleusinium;”  and  Philostratus,  in  describing  the  course 
of  the  ship  used  in  the  great  Panathenaic  procession,  says 
{Vit.  soph.  2,  1,  5)  that  it  started  from  the  Cerameicus  — 
meaning  the  Outer  Cerameicus,  beyond  the  Dipylum  — 
and  advanced  “to  the  Eleusinium,  and,  rounding  that, 
passed  by  the  Pelargicum”  (p.  363).  The  situation  sug- 
gested, south  of  the  Areopagus  (cf.  Fig.  42),  manifestly 
satisfies  the  requirements  of  these  passages ; a recent  in- 
vestigator would  put  it  on  the  south  slope  of  the  Acropolis, 
which  is  doubtful. 

Pausanias’s  “vision”  has  deprived  us  of  much  that  we 
should  like  to  know  about  the  Eleusinium ; ancient  writers 
rarely  slip  in  the  matter  of  the  Eleusinian  secrets.  The 
great  Eleusinium  was,  of  course,  at  Eleusis.  Triptolemus 
is  often  associated  with  the  Eleusinian  Demeter  and  Per- 
sephone ; he  is  usually  represented  by  the  vase  painters  as 
riding  on  a winged  car  drawn  by  serpents  (Fig.  62).  Pau- 
sanias  identifies  the  Epimenides  whose  statue  he  saw  with 
the  Cnossian,  “the  Greek  Rip  Van  Winkle,”  who  purified 
Athens  from  the  guilt  of  the  Alcmaeonids,  but  more  prob- 
ably this  was  the  statue  of  the  Attic  Epimenides,  who  was 
said  to  have  been  the  first  ox-driver  and  who  was  allied 
with  Triptolemus,  a divinity  of  agriculture. 

“And  still  farther  on  is  a temple  of  Fair  Fame  (Eucleia) ; 
this  too  is  a votive  offering  from  the  Medes  who  landed  at 
Marathon.”  Eucleia  is  probably  an  epithet  of  Artemis. 
In  inscriptions  Eucleia  is  usually  associated  with  Fair  Order 
(Eunomia).  If  Pausanias  is  correct,  the  temple  must  have 
been  erected  soon  after  the  Persian  Wars,  but  its  history 
and  location  are  little  known.  In  various  other  Greek 


n6 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


cities  a temple  of  Artemis  Eucleia  was  in  the  Agora ; per- 
haps the  temple  was  on  Pausanias’s  way  as  he  now  returned 
to  the  Agora  at  Athens. 

From  the  temple  of  Fair  Fame,  then,  Pausanias  comes 
back  toward  the  north  end  of  the  Agora.  “ Above  the 


Fig.  62. — Persephone,  Triptolemus,  and  Demeter;  vase  painting. 


Cerameicus,”  he  says,  “ and  the  so-called  Royal  Stoa  is  a tem- 
ple of  Hephaestus.  I was  not  surprised  that  the  statue  of 
Athena  stands  near  him,  as  I knew  the  story  of  Erichtho- 
nius.  Observing  that  the  statue  of  Athena  had  gray  eyes, 
. . .”  We  have  already  seen  that  the  Royal  Stoa  was  on 
the  west  side  of  the  Agora  and  on  the  slope  of  Colonus 
Agoraeus,  or  Market  Hill  (p.  89),  the  only  elevation  of 
importance  in  the  region  north  of  the  Areopagus.  That 
the  temple  of  Hephaestus  stood  on  this  hill  can  scarcely 
be  doubted.  Harpocration  speaks  of  hired  slaves  who  were 


THE  HELLENIC  AGORA 


117 

called  Colonetae,  “because  they  stood  by  Colonus  near  the 
Agora  where  are  the  Hephaesteum  and  the  Eurysaceum.” 
Andocides  mentions  (1,  40)  a certain  Euphemus,  who  was 
seen  in  the  braziers’  quarter  and  “led  up  to  the  Hephae- 
steum Hephaestus,  the  god  of  the  forge,  would  appro- 
priately have  his  temple  near  the  smithies,  a supposition 
which  is  confirmed  by  the  remark  of  another  writer  (Bekker, 
Artec,  gr.  1,  316,  23)  that  “bronze  is  sold  where  the  He- 
phaesteum is.”  At  the  present  time  Colonus  Agoraeus  is 
for  the  most  part  singularly  bare  of  ancient  remains ; but 
at  its  northern  end,  “above  the  Royal  Stoa,”  stands  the 
best  preserved  of  Greek  temples  (Fig.  63). 

The  name  “Theseum”  was  first  applied  to  this  building 
in  the  Middle  Ages,  probably  because  on  some  of  its  me- 
topes and  a part  of  its  frieze  deeds  of  Theseus  are  depicted. 
But  inference  from  the  sculptural  decoration  of  a temple 
has  been  shown  to  be  hazardous.  On  such  grounds,  for 
example,  the  temple  of  Zeus  at  Olympia  might  be  attributed 
to  Heracles  and  the  Parthenon  at  Athens  to  Theseus. 
The  true  Theseum  was  certainly  on  the  east  side  of  the 
Agora  near  the  foot  of  the  Acropolis  (p.  152) ; it  may  not 
have  contained  a temple  at  all,  and  it  was  built  at  a much 
earlier  date  than  the  structure  before  us.  The  Theseum, 
then,  this  building  cannot  be.  In  recent  years  it  has  been 
ascribed  variously  to  Ares,  Apollo,  Heracles,  Aphrodite, 
the  Amazons,  and  Hephaestus;  but  on  the  topographical 
grounds  outlined  above,  as  well  as  certain  interpretations 
of  the  sculptural  remains,  the  claim  of  Hephaestus  seems 
most  conclusive,  though  complete  agreement  of  scholars 
has  not  been  reached. 

The  temple  measures  104  by  45  feet  on  the  stylobate,  or 
upper  step.  It  is  built  of  Pentelic  and  Parian  marble,  save 
the  lowest  of  the  three  steps,  which  is  of  poros.  The  build- 


Fig.  63.  — Hephaesteum,  from  the  northeast. 
In  the  background  is  the  Hill  of  the  Nymph. 


THE  HELLENIC  AGORA 


119 


ing  is  hexastyle  peripteral;  in  front  are  six,  on  the  sides 
thirteen,  Doric  columns,  19.3  feet  high,  3.3  feet  in  diameter 
at  the  base,  and  tapering  to  2.6  feet  at  the  top  of  the  shaft. 
The  intercolumniations  are  5.3  feet,  except  at  the  corners, 
where  the  space  between  columns  is  nearly  a foot  less,  the 
usual  device  to  adjust  the  triglyphs  over  the  corner  columns. 
Above  the  colonnade  is  the  customary  entablature,  consist- 
ing of  architrave,  triglyph  frieze,  and  cornice. 

The  cella  is  40  feet  long  by  20  feet  wide,  the  side  walls 
terminating  in  square  antae,  between  which  at  either  end 
were  two  smaller  Doric  columns;  of  these  the  east  pair 
was  removed  to  make  an  apse  in  later  days  when  the  temple 
was  transformed  into  a Christian  church.  At  the  same 
time  the  east  cross-wall  was  torn  down  and  a large  door 
cut  in  the  west  cross-wall;  but  this  was  later  closed,  to 
prevent  the  Turks  from  riding  in  on  horseback,  and  the 
two  small  doors,  by  one  of  which  the  temple  is  now  entered, 
were  cut  in  the  sides.  On  the  interior  the  walls  have  been 
covered  with  a coat  of  stucco,  probably  for  Christian  paint- 
ings. The  original  wooden  roof  has  perished,  and  the  pres- 
ent vaulted  roof  over  the  cella,  of  stone  and  concrete,  dates 
from  Christian  times;  over  the  aisles  many  panels  of  the 
ceiling  are  still  in  place. 

The  temple  was  richly  decorated  with  sculptures.  Of 
the  pedimental  groups  only  the  traces  remain,  unfortu- 
nately not  enough  to  indicate  clearly  their  motive.  A 
plausible  argument  has  been  offered  to  show  that  the  east 
pediment  represented  the  birth  of  Erichthonius,  the  west, 
Hephaestus  with  Thetis  and  Eurynome. 

The  ten  metopes  on  the  front  or  east  end  and  the  adja- 
cent four  on  each  side  of  the  temple  are  sculptured.  The 
reliefs  of  these,  of  Parian  marble,  are  much  battered.  Those 
across  the  front  represent  the  labors  of  Heracles : (1) 


120 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


Fig.  64. — Southeast  corner  of  the  Hephaesteum,  showing  four  of  the 
sculptured  metopes. 

on  the  south  side  (Fig.  64),  from  east  to  west,  portray  the 
hero  with  (1)  the  Minotaur,  (2)  the  Marathonian  bull, 

(3)  Sinis,  and  (4)  Periphetes;  those  on  the  north  side, 
Theseus  with  (1)  Procrustes,  (2)  Cercyon,  (3)  Sciron,  and 

(4)  the  Crommyonian  sow. 


the  Nemean  lion,  (2)  the  Lernaean  hydra,  (3)  the  Cery- 
naean  stag,  (4)  the  Erymanthian  boar,  (5)  the  mare  of 
Diomede,  (6)  Cerberus,  (7)  the  Amazon  queen,  (8,  9) 
Geryon,  and  (10)  the  apples  of  the  Hesperides.  The  me- 
topes on  the  sides  represent  the  deeds  of  Theseus : those 


THE  HELLENIC  AGORA 


1 21 


Above  the  columns  at  either  end  of  the  cella  is  an  Ionic 
frieze;  the  eastern  section  extends  across  the  side-aisles 
and  is  about  37  feet  long ; the  western  terminates  above  the 
antae  and  is  about  25  feet  long.  The  former  depicts  six 
seated  gods,  three  grouped  over  each  anta,  watching  a 
battle,  perhaps  Erich thonius  and  Amphictyon  and  their 
followers  fighting  for  the  kingship  of  Attica;  the  latter 
represents  the  battle  of  Lapiths  and  Centaurs.  The  friezes 
are  also  of  Parian  marble. 

On  stylistic  grounds  the  Hephaesteum  seems  to  be  some- 
what later  than  the  Parthenon;  it  may  have  been  com- 
pleted, or  nearly  so,  before  the  Peloponnesian  War.  An  in- 
scription tells  us  of  a festival  held  every  four  years  in  honor 
of  Hephaestus  and  Athena  which  was  inaugurated  during 
the  peace  of  Nicias  (421/ 20  b.c.),  when  bronze  statues  of  the 
divinities  on  a common  base  were  begun.  The  statues  were 
completed  at  the  next  celebration  of  the  festival,  four  years 
later,  and  probably  were  those  seen  by  Pausanias  in  the 
temple.  The  sculptor  seems  to  have  been  Alcamenes,  and 
the  Hephaestus  may  be  identical  with  a statue  of  that 
artist  praised  by  Cicero  and  Valerius  Maximus  for  the 
skill  with  which  the  god’s  lameness  was  treated  as  an  attri- 
bute rather  than  as  a defect.  The  type  of  the  Athena  has 
recently  been  identified  (Fig.  65). 

The  temple  has  a romantic  later  history  which  we  cannot 
now  follow.  We  owe  its  comparatively  excellent  preserva- 
tion to  its  early  dedication  to  St.  George  and  its  long  use 
as  a Christian  church.  In  the  last  century  it  was  used  as 
a general  museum;  at  present  it  contains  a Byzantine 
collection. 

The  Eurysaceum,  or  sanctuary  of  Eurysaces,  son  of 
Ajax,  stood  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Hephaesteum.  It  is 
said  to  have  been  in  the  deme  of  Melite,  and  it  included  an 


122 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


tify  it. 

We  entered  the 
Agora  with  Pausa- 
nias  from  the  north 
and  first  visited  the 
buildings  on  the  right  hand,  or  west  side,  continuing  thence 
along  the  Panathenaic  road  and  around  the  end  of  the 
Areopagus  to  the  very  foot  of  the  Acropolis.  Thence  we 
retraced  our  steps  to  the  Hephaesteum  on  Market  Hill, 


Fig.  65.  — Copy  of  Athena  Hephaestia,  by 
Alcamenes  (Museo  Chiaramonti,  Rome). 

A more  faithful,  but  less  complete  copy  is  in  the 
museum  of  Cherchell,  Algeria.  The  cult-statues 
of  the  Hephaesteum  were  of  Hephaestus  and 
Athena  together. 


altar  which  is  men- 
tioned elsewhere  by 
Pausanias.  Not  far 
away  were  the  Ama- 
zonium,  the  graves 
of  the  Amazons,  and 
the  Chalcodon,  the 
latter  near  the  Pei- 
raic  Gate.  Pausanias 
does  not  mention 
these,  but  says, 
4 ‘Near  by  is  a sanc- 
tuary of  Heavenly 
Aphrodite.”  Of  this 
we  have  no  further 
knowledge,  save  for 
his  added  remark 
that  “ the  image  still 
remaining  in  our 
time  is  of  Parian 
marble,  and  the 
work  of  Pheidias.” 
Various  efforts  have 
been  made  to  iden- 


THE  HELLENIC  AGORA 


123 


and  now  accompany  Pausanias  across  the  north  side  of  the 
Agora.  “As  you  go  toward  the  stoa  which  from  its  paint- 
ings they  call  the  Painted  Porch  (Stoa  Poecile),  there  is  a 
bronze  Hermes  called  Agoraeus,  and  near  by  a gate;  on 
this  is  a trophy  of  the  Athenians  who  conquered  Pleistar- 
chus  in  a cavalry  battle;  for,  being  the  brother  of  Cas- 
sander,  Pleistarchus  had  been  intrusted  with  the  command 
of  his  cavalry  and  mercenary  force. 

“This  stoa  has  in  the  first  place  a painting  of  the  Athe- 
nians who  have  been  marshalled  at  Oenoe  in  Argolis  against 
the  Lacedaemonians.  The  battle  has  been  painted  not  as 
already  coming  to  the  acme  of  the  fray  and  as  a display  of 
daring  deeds,  but  rather  as  the  beginning  of  the  fight, 
while  the  men  are  still  gathering  for  the  hand-to-hand  con- 
flict. In  the  middle  of  the  walls  Theseus  and  the  Athe- 
nians are  fighting  the  Amazons.  . . . Next  to  the  Amazons 
is  the  scene  when  the  Greeks  have  captured  Ilium,  and  the 
kings  have  assembled  on  account  of  the  assault  of  Ajax  on 
Cassandra ; the  painting  shows  Ajax  himself,  and  Cassan- 
dra with  other  captive  women.  Last  is  the  painting  of 
the  combatants  at  Marathon.  The  Boeotians  of  Plataea 
and  all  the  Attic  force  are  entering  into  hand-to-hand  en- 
gagement with  the  Barbarians.  Over  here  both  parties 
are  on  equal  terms  in  the  action ; in  the  heart  of  the  melee 
the  Barbarians  are  in  flight  and  are  pushing  one  another 
into  the  marsh ; on  the  farther  side  of  the  picture  are  the 
Phoenician  ships  and  the  Greeks  slaughtering  those  of  the 
Barbarians  who  are  tumbling  into  them.  Here,  too,  is 
depicted  the  hero  Marathon,  from  whom  the  plain  got  its 
name,  and  Theseus  in  the  guise  of  one  rising  out  of  the 
ground,  and  Athena,  and  Heracles.  ...  Of  the  warriors 
the  most  conspicuous  in  the  painting  are  Callimachus,  whom 
the  Athenians  chose  as  polemarch,  Miltiades,  one  of  the 


124 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


generals,  and  the  hero  Echetlus,  of  whom  I shall  make  men- 
tion later. 

“Here  have  been  dedicated  some  shields  of  bronze ; part 
of  them  have  an  inscription  to  the  effect  that  they  are  from 
the  Scionians  and  their  allies ; others,  smeared  with  pitch 
to  defy  the  erosion  of  rust  and  time,  are  said  to  have  been 
taken  from  the  Lacedaemonians  who  were  captured  on  the 
island  of  Sphacteria. 

“ Bronze  statues  are  set  up  before  the  stoa : Solon,  who 
wrote  laws  for  the  Athenians,  and  a little  farther  on  Seleu- 
cus.” 

The  location  of  the  Painted  Porch  is  a vexed  problem. 
From  the  description  of  Pausanias  we  should  infer  that  it 
was  at  the  north  end  of  the  Agora,  and  this  conclusion  is 
quite  consistent  with  a quotation  of  Harpocration  from 
“Menecles  or  Callicrates,”  saying  that  “out  from  the  Stoa 
Poecile  and  the  Stoa  of  the  King  [the  Royal  Stoa]  are  the 
so-called  Herms.”  Some  have  understood  that  these 
herms  crossed  in  a straight  line  from  stoa  to  stoa,  dividing 
the  Agora  into  two  sections,  the  civic  and  the  commercial ; 
but  the  language  of  the  passage  is  satisfied  better  by  sup- 
posing that  they  ran  in  nearly  parallel  lines,  perhaps  ex- 
tending along  the  road  which  entered  the  Agora  from  the 
Dipylum.  From  the  herms  Xenophon  would  have  his 
cavalry  leader  (p.  115)  begin  his  circuit  of  the  shrines  of  the 
Agora.  Near  them  was  a Stoa  of  the  Herms.  named  by  a 
scholiast  on  Demosthenes  along  with  the  Stoa  Poecile  and 
the  Royal  Stoa  as  one  of  the  three  most  important  stoae  of 
Athens.  In  it  were  set  up,  according  to  Aeschines,  three 
stone  herms  in  honor  of  the  generals  who  were  victorious 
on  the  Strymon. 

On  the  way  from  Market  Hill  to  the  Stoa  Poecile  stood 
the  statue  of  Hermes  Agoraeus.  Most  Attic  herms  were 


THE  HELLENIC  AGORA 


125 


square  pillars  surmounted  by  the  head  of  the  god  (Fig.  150) ; 
but  this  was  a complete  figure  and  of  so  graceful  lines  that 
it  served  constantly  as  a sculptor’s  model.  In  Lucian’s 
Zeus  the  Tragedian  (§33)  Hermes  Agoraeus  is  represented 
as  rushing  up  to  an  assembly  of  the  gods,  to  tell  them  of  the 
impious  things  he  has  heard  in  the  Agora.  Zeus  exclaims : 
“But  who  is  this  coming  in  such  haste,  this  bronze  figure 
of  goodly  lines  and  contour,  his  hair  tied  back  in  the  old- 
fashioned  style  ? Why,  Hermes,  it  is  your  brother  from 
the  Agora,  he  who  stands  by  the  Painted  Porch  ! Any- 
way he’s  smeared  with  pitch  from  the  statue-makers  tak- 
ing casts  of  him  every  day.”  Evidently  the  Hermes  in 
question  was  of  archaic  style,  but  we  do  not  know  who  the 
sculptor  was.  . We  hear  of  an  altar  dedicated  to  the  god ; 
and  the  sausage  seller  in  Aristophanes’s  Knights  swears  “ by 
Hermes  Agoraeus.” 

The  gate  “near  by”  surmounted  by  a trophy  is  puzzling. 
The  victory  which  the  trophy  commemorated  took  place 
about  317  b.c.  ; but  the  triumphal  arch  as  an  architectural 
type  is  Roman  rather  than  Greek.  Possibly  the  gate  was 
an  old  one  put  to  a new  use  (p.  55). 

All  things  considered,  the  requirements  of  extant  evi- 
dence seem  best  to  be  met  by  the  location  of  the  Painted 
Porch  at  or  near  the  Stoa  of  the  Giants  (p.  136) ; the  later 
building  may  even  have  been  placed  upon  the  site  of  the 
renowned  Poecile,  but  this  is  a conjecture  the  accuracy  of 
which  cannot  now  be  verified. 

Like  one  at  least  of  the  stoae  along  the  avenue  from  the 
Dipylum,  the  Stoa  Poecile  would  seem  to  have  had  an  open 
court,  or  peristyle,  perhaps  in  the  rear ; for  Lucian  in  the 
work  just  mentioned  speaks  of  a time  when  the  Stoa 
was  crowded,  and  some,  while  apparently  still  in  the  Stoa, 
were  walking  about  under  the  open  sky.  The  Stoa  was 


126 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


built  at  about  the  middle  of  the  fifth  century  by  Peisianax, 
son-in-law  of  Cimon  and  uncle  of  Alcibiades ; accordingly  it 
was  at  first  called  the  Stoa  of  Peisianax.  Benches  were  pro- 
vided in  the  Stoa  where  poet,  or  philosopher,  or  fishmonger 
might  loiter  at  will;  but  its  greatest  fame  arose  from  its 
being  the  meeting  place  of  Zeno  and  his  followers,  who  in 
consequence  were  called  Stoics.  It  was  used  sometimes 
for  informal  assemblies,  and  for  the  selection  of  the  quota 
of  citizens ; also  for  the  sittings  of  courts  of  justice,  and, 
in  the  reign  of  the  Thirty,  for  a criminal  court.  Lucian 
frequently  places  here  the  scenes  of  his  amusing  dialogues, 
and  we  learn  that  jugglers  found  the  crowded  Stoa  a fa- 
vorable place  for  their  performances.  Apuleius  tells  us  of  a 
mountebank  who  swallows  a sword  and  a hunting  spear 
and  of  a youthful  acrobat  who  performs  before  the  throngs. 
That  the  Stoa  stood  on  the  edge  of  the  Agora  is  evident 
from  the  dwellings  said  to  have  been  near  it,  including  that 
of  the  famous  astronomer  Meton. 

The  paintings  that  gave  the  Stoa  its  later  name  are  fully 
described  by  Pausanias.  Various  conjectures  have  been 
made  as  to  the  arrangement  on  the  walls.  The  most  plau- 
sible suggestion  is  that  the  Battle  of  Oenoe  was  at  the  north 
end,  the  Battle  of  the  Amazons  and  the  Capture  of  Troy 
on  the  middle  wall  parallel  to  the  colonnade,  and  the 
Battle  of  Marathon  at  the  south  end,  though  some  would 
reverse  this  order.  The  paintings  were  probably  frescoes, 
though  the  statement  of  Synesius,  a Christian  writer  of 
the  fifth  century  (Ep.  54;  135),  that  a Roman  proconsul 
“ removed  the  boards  on  which  Polygnotus  of  Thasos 
expended  his  art”  has  given  rise  to  much  discussion. 

The  Battle  of  Oenoe  is  known  only  from  this  and  another 
passage  of  Pausanias ; why  it  was  deemed  worthy  of  por- 
trayal here  and  who  was  the  artist  is  undetermined.  Of  the 


THE  HELLENIC  AGORA 


127 


Battle  of  the  Amazons  we  learn  in  addition  that  the  Amazons 
were  mounted  and  that  the  painting  was  by  Micon.  The 
picture  of  the  Capture  of  Troy  was  by  the  epoch-making 
Thasian  painter  Polygnotus,  who  came  to  Athens  about 
460  b.c.  Plutarch  says  that  among  the  pictures  of  captive 
women  that  of  Laodice,  daughter  of  Priam,  was  a portrait 
of  Cimon’s  sister  Elpinice. 

The  Battle  of  Marathon  was  one  of  the  most  famous  of 
all  Greek  paintings.  The  artist  is  said  elsewhere  by  Pau- 
sanias  to  have  been  Panaenus,  the  brother  of  Pheidias. 
Others  name  Micon  and  Polygnotus  ; perhaps  all  three  had 
a share  in  it.  From  the  description  of  Pausanias  we  see 
that  the  battle  was  represented  in  three  scenes,  the  attack, 
the  rout,  and  the  carnage  by  the  ships.  Pausanias  speci- 
fies two  gods,  three  heroes,  and  two  mortals  as  delineated 
in  the  painting.  From  other  descriptions  we  may  add  the 
hero  Butes,  who  was  hidden  behind  a hill  as  far  as  his  eyes. 
Echetlus  was  depicted  as  slaying  the  Persians  with  his  plow- 
share. To  the  men  Pausanias  elsewhere  adds  Aeschylus, 
the  tragic  poet;  and  Pliny  adds  Cynaegeirus,  Aeschylus’s 
brother,  who,  according  to  Herodotus,  had  his  hand  hewn 
off  while  clinging  to  a Persian  ship,  and  the  two  Persian 
officers,  Datis  and  Artaphernes.  Miltiades  was  conspicu- 
ous among  the  ten  generals,  “ extending  his  hand  to  point 
out  the  Barbarians  to  the  Greeks,  and  urging  on  his  men” 
(Schol.  Aristeid.  46,  174).  As  a touch  of  humor  a dog  was 
painted  in  the  picture  (Aelian,  De  nat.  animal.  7,  38)  as  the 
“fellow-soldier”  of  one  of  the  men. 

After  mentioning  the  shields  preserved  in  the  Painted 
Porch  and  the  statues  of  Solon  and  Seleucus,  which  stood 
near  it,  Pausanias  passes  to  the  altar  of  Pity  and  inciden- 
tally speaks  of  other  evidences  of  Athenian  piety,  the  altars 
of  Modesty,  Rumor,  and  Impulse.  The  mention  of  the 


128 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


several  altars  collectively  shows  that  the  passage  is  a di- 
gression and  without  topographical  value;  some  of  the 
altars  at  least  seem  not  to  have  been  in  the  Agora.  As  the 
spot  which  Pausanias  names  is  “a  short  distance  from  the 
Agora,”  his  description  of  the  Agora  evidently  ceases  here. 
Apparently  he  has  selected  from  his  notes  only  the  sites 
that  seemed  to  him  most  important.  Several  sites  regard- 
ing which  we  have  information  from  other  sources  may  be 
considered  before  we  leave  the  Hellenic  Agora. 

A precinct  frequently  mentioned  by  ancient  authors, 
one  evidently  of  no  small  moment,  is  the  Leocorium.  The 
story  went  that  the  sanctuary  was  dedicated  to  the  three 
daughters  of  Leos,  who  were  devoted  to  death  in  a time  of 
famine,  another  example  of  popular  etymology ; the  truth 
we  do  not  know.  The  precinct  was  an  heroum,  and  prob- 
ably contained  no  temple.  From  its  connection  with 
the  assassination  of  Hipparchus  (p.  52)  and  its  proximity 
to  the  mercantile  booths  of  Pythodorus  (p.  149)  we  may 
judge  that  it  was  on  the  edge  of  the  Agora,  at  the  north ; 
a statement  of  a scholiast  (on  Demos.  54,  7)  that  it  was  “in 
the  middle  of  Cerameicus”  may  refer  to  the  deme  of  that 
name.  Demosthenes  mentions  it  (l.c.)  as  the  terminus  of  a 
promenade  taken  by  two  men  who  pass  from  the  Leocorium 
“through  the  Agora”  and  back,  turning  at  the  Pherephat- 
tium,  or  sanctuary  of  Persephone,  which  accordingly,  as  we 
should  expect,  must  be  placed  near  the  Metroum  (pp.  94  ff.). 

The  state’s  Prison,  often  euphemistically  termed  the 
Dwelling,  must  also  have  been  placed  near  the  north 
end  of  the  Agora ; for  Theramenes,  having  been  torn  away 
from  the  altar  of  the  Senate  House  at  the  south  end  of  the 
Agora  (Xenophon,  Hellen.  2,  3,  56),  was  dragged  “through 
the  Agora”  to  the  prison,  where  he  was  to  drink  the  fatal 
hemlock.  Here  too  Socrates  died,  and  from  the  events 


THE  HELLENIC  AGORA 


129 


related  by  Plato  in  connection  with  his  death,  we  learn  that 
the  “ Dwelling”  contained  several  rooms,  one  of  them  a 
bath.  Near  the  prison  was  the  court  in  which  Socrates 
was  condemned  (p.  23). 

The  lesser  buildings  of  the  Agora  need  not  detain  us ; for 
most  of  them,  Strategium,  Thesmothesium,  Poleterium, 
Agoranomium,  and  the  like,  are  little  more  than  names 
to  us. 


K 


CHAPTER  V 


The  Hellenistic  and  Roman  Agora  and  Other  Sites 

HELLENISTIC  AND  ROMAN  AGORA 

If  the  characterization  were  taken  to  imply  a distinct  or 
different  area,  the  phrase  “ Hellenistic  and  Roman  Agora” 
would  not  be  justifiable.  What  we  have  called  the  Hellenic 
Agora  was  also  the  Agora  throughout  the  rest  of  Athenian 
history ; but  in  the  later  days  its  bounds  were  extended, 
particularly  toward  the  east  and  north,  since  the  hills 
hemmed  it  in  on  the  other  sides ; for  the  sake  of  clearness 
this  enlarged  Agora  deserves  a distinguishing  appellation. 
The  Hellenistic  and  Roman  Agora  is  not  described  by  Pau- 
sanias,  an  antiquarian  by  nature,  and  its  imposing  build- 
ings are  rarely  mentioned  by  any  author ; but  the  remains 
are  extensive,  and  among  the  most  interesting  in  the  city 
to-day. 

Near  the  north  end  of  the  added  area  is  the  Stoa 
of  Attalus.  This  Stoa  is  mentioned  only  once  in  extant 
literature,  and  then  only  casually  in  connection  with  the 
experiences  of  a certain  man  named  Athenion,  who  enjoyed 
a brief  period  of  despotic  power  at  Athens  on  his  return 
from  an  embassy  to  Mithridates,  about  88  b.c.  Excite- 
ment in  the  city  was  intense.  “The  Cerameicus  was  filled 
with  citizens  and  strangers,  and  the  crowds  ran  unsum- 
moned to  the  assembly.  Athenion  advanced  with  difficulty, 
and  . . . mounting  the  bema  which  was  built  in  front  of 
the  Stoa  of  Attalus  for  the  generals  of  the  Romans,  he  stood 

130 


THE  HELLENISTIC  AND  ROMAN  AGORA  13 1 

upon  it;  and,  casting  his  eyes  around  over  the  throng,”  he 
addressed  the  people.  The  first  part  of  this  passage,  from 
Athenaeus  (5,  212  f.),  has  been  taken  as  evidence  for  the 
location  of  the  Stoa  on  the  Hellenic  Agora.  But  the  term 
“ Cerameicus”  refers  properly  to  the  entire  deme  (pp.  26  f.), 
within  and  without  the  Dipylum,  and,  even  were  it  granted 
that  the  Agora  only  is  meant,  the  passage  would  still  be 
insufficient  to  prove  that  the  Agora  of  Hellenic  times  ex- 
tended so  far  eastwards.  As  we  have  seen  (pp.  88  f.),  the 
buildings  excavated  just  east  of  the  Hephaesteum,  though 
north  of  the  civic  Agora,  determine  its  western  limits ; to 
make  the  earlier  Agora  include  the  entire  space  between  this 
and  the  Stoa  of  Attalus  is  to  disregard  the  gradual  growth 
of  the  area  and  to  give  it  extraordinary  dimensions,  four 
or  five  times  as  great,  for  example,  as  the  Roman  Forum. 

The  identification  of  the  Stoa  of  Attalus  is  made  certain 
by  the  discovery  of  the  fragments  of  an  inscription  which 
originally  stood  above  the  lower  colonnade  on  the  front  of 
the  building,  and  which  now  has  been  fitted  together  and 
stands  in  the  midst  of  the  ruins.  It  reads  : “King  Attalus 
son  of  King  Attalus  and  of  Queen  Apollonis.”  The  founder 
of  the  Stoa  was,  therefore,  Attalus  II,  king  of  Pergamum 
from  159  to  138  b.c.,  and  the  building  was  patterned  after 
Pergamene  colonnades. 

The  Stoa  (Fig.  66)  was  built  on  sloping  ground,  an  ex- 
cavation being  made  for  the  foundation  at  the  south  end 
(Fig.  67),  while  the  north  end  was  elevated  on  a high  po- 
dium ; a ramp  at  the  southwest  corner  gave  access  to  the 
building.  The  facade,  facing  the  west,  was  mostly  of  Pen- 
telic  marble,  but  nearly  all  of  the  remainder  was  of  poros ; 
the  foundation  was  of  breccia.  Originally  the  Stoa,  includ- 
ing the  exedrae  at  the  ends,  was  about  331  feet  long  and  65 
feet  wide,  but  later  its  length  was  increased  to  about  380 


132 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


feet  by  an  addition  toward  the  north.  It  had  two  stories 
connected  by  a stairway  at  the  south  end.  Each  floor 
comprehended  a broad  open  portico 
fronting  a row  of  twenty-one  (origi- 
nally eighteen)  shops,  or  magazines ; 
the  ceilings  were  of  wood.  Before  the 
lower  portico  ran  a colonnade  of  forty- 
five  Doric  columns  resting  on  a three- 
stepped  stereobate  ; the  lower  portion 
of  the  columns  was  unfluted  so  as  to 
prevent  breakage.  The  open  space 
was  divided  into  two  aisles  by  a row 
of  twenty-two  Ionic  columns.  At 
either  end  of  the  front  aisle  was  a 
small  door ; at  either  end  of  the  second 
aisle,  a marble  exedra  (Fig.  68).  The 
shops  were  uniformly  about  16  feet 
deep,  but  varied  slightly  in  width 
(Fig.  69).  A large  door  opened  from 
each  shop  into  the  portico,  and  the 
shops  were  also  lighted  by  narrow 
windows  in  the  rear  wall.  Sockets 
were  cut  in  the  sides  of  the  rooms  for 
the  insertion  of  shelves  to  accommo- 
date the  wares  of  merchants.  The 
second  story  was  fronted  by  forty-five 
shorter  Ionic  columns  resting  on  pilas- 
ters, between  which  ran  a marble  bal- 
ustrade ; but  this  story  had  no  inner 
row  of  columns.  The  roof  of  the  building  was  of  wood. 

The  Stoa  of  Attalus  owes  its  preservation  in  part  to  its 
having  been  built  into  the  “ Valerian  Wall”  (p.  74) ; this 
has  now  been  taken  down  and  the  building  fully  excavated. 


Fig.  66. — Plan  of  the 
Stoa  of  Attalus. 


THE  HELLENISTIC  AND  ROMAN  AGORA  133 


Fig.  67. — South  end  of  the  Stoa  of  Attalus. 

The  doorways  at  the  left  communicate  with  the  shops  of  the  Stoa.  The  wall  at  the  rear 

is  modern. 


Fig.  68.  — North  end  of  the  Stoa  of  Attalus;  at  the  left  a marble  exedra. 


134 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


At  some  depth  below  the  level  of  the  third  room  from  the 
north  the  excavators  came  upon  a spring-house  of  an  earlier 
date,  which  may  have  limited  the  length  of  the  Stoa  when 
first  constructed.  The  building  must  have  seemed  a 
magnificent  addition  to  the  mercantile  quarters  of  the 


Fig.  69.  — Stoa  of  Attalus,  looking  south;  at  the  left  the  foundations 

of  shops. 

city,  and  many  a close  bargain,  we  may  surmise,  was 
struck  beneath  its  roof. 

Some  two  hundred  feet  west  of  the  Stoa  of  Attalus  is 
the  Stoa  of  the  Giants,  as  it  is  now  called  because  of  its 
colossal  figures  (Fig.  70).  The  foundation  is  of  late  Ro- 
man construction,  composed  of  stones  from  various  sources ; 
only  part  of  it  has  been  uncovered.  At  either  end  of  the 
excavated  portion  are  parallel  walls  running  north  and 
south,  apparently  belonging  to  colonnades,  one  of  which 
opened  into  an  apse.  In  a small  room  at  the  end  of  one 
colonnade  are  ruins  of  a stairway  leading  to  an  upper  story ; 
in  the  room  on  the  opposite  side  are  remains  of  a bath. 


THE  HELLENISTIC  AND  ROMAN  AGORA  135 


Projecting  from  the  ends  of  the  side  walls  are  broad  stylo- 
bates with  two  independent  bases  in  line  between  them, 
leaving  room  for  three  wide  entrances.  Here  stood  the 


Fig.  70.  — Plan  of  the  excavated  portion  of  the  Stoa  of  the  Giants. 

marble  Atlantes  which  rested  against  pilasters  and  sup- 
ported the  entablature.  These  statues,  of  which  three  are 
fairly  well  preserved  (Fig.  71),  seem  to  have  been  taken 
from  a building  of  about  the  time  of  Hadrian.  They  re- 


Fig.  71.  — Remains  of  the  Stoa  of  the  Giants,  from  the  northwest. 


semble  in  style  the  crouching  Sileni  beneath  the  stage  built 
by  Phaedrus  in  the  great  theater  (p.  200).  The  upper  part 
of  each  statue  is  that  of  a man,  while  below  they  pass,  one 
into  the  form  of  a serpent,  the  others  into  the  form  of  a fish. 


136 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


Each  rests  on  a square  marble  basis  of  later  and  cruder 
workmanship,  adorned  in  front  with  an  olive  tree  about 
which  a serpent  entwines  (Fig.  72).  Though  of  degenerate 

type,  the  facade  may 
not  have  been  wholly 
ignoble.  Whether  or  not 
the  Stoa  stood  on  the 
site  of  an  earlier  build- 
ing is  uncertain ; we 
have  seen  reason  to 
believe  that  here  may 
have  been  the  site  of 
the  Painted  Porch,  on 
the  east  side  of  the 
Hellenic  Agora  (p.  88). 

About  a hundred 
yards  east  of  the  south- 
ern end  of  the  Stoa  of 
Attalus  stands  the  con- 
spicuous gateway  of  the 
great  Market  of  Caesar 
and  Augustus,  usually 
called  the  Roman  Mar- 
ket. This  structure  (Fig. 
73)  extended  northwest 
by  southeast  and  was  of 
immense  size,  measuring  about  367  by  315  feet  over  all. 
It  was  inclosed  by  a high  wall  of  stone,  lined  with  colon- 
nades and  shops ; whether  or  not  the  wall  was  faced  with 
marble,  we  do  not  know. 

The  main  entrance  was  an  elaborate  propylum  (Fig.  74), 
having  a front  of  four  fluted  Doric  columns  about  26  feet 
high  and  4 feet  thick  at  the  base ; the  central  intercolumnia- 


Fig.  72. 


East  figure  of  the  Stoa  of 
the  Giants. 


THE  HELLENISTIC  AND  ROMAN  AGORA  137 


tion  is  especially  wide,  in  order  to  admit  vehicles.  The 
architrave  bears  the  city’s  dedicatory  inscription  to  Athena 
Archegetis  (Foundress),  the  names  of  the  donors,  Julius 
Caesar  and  Augustus,  and  of  the  officers  responsible  for 
the  construction.  Instead  of  an  acroterium  the  summit 


Fig.  73.  — Plan  of  the  Market  of  Caesar  and  Augustus;  at  the  right 
the  Tower  of  the  Winds  and  the  Agoranomium. 

The  rooms  at  the  middle  of  the  south  side  are  conjecturally  added  from  memory  and 
the  published  description;  no  plan  of  this  newly  excavated  portion  of  the  Market 
has  been  published. 

of  the  gable  was  surmounted  by  a statue,  whose  base  alone 
survives,  of  the  grandson  of  Augustus,  Lucius  Caesar.  This 
young  man  was  adopted  by  the  emperor  in  17  b.c.  and  died 
in  2 a.d.  Within  this  period  the  building  probably  was 
erected.  Near  the  propylum  stood  a statue  of  Julia, 
Augustus’s  profligate  daughter,  the  mother  of  Lucius. 

The  actual  gateway  was  about  25  feet  east  of  the  columns 
and  had  three  entrances  corresponding  with  their  inter- 
columniations.  The  marble  jamb  of  the  central  doorway, 
on  the  north  side,  still  stands,  and  on  its  inner  face  is  in- 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


138 


Fig.  74. — Gate  of  Athena  Archegetis,  or  propylum  of  the  Market  of 
Caesar  and  Augustus. 


scribed  a long  decree  of  Hadrian  containing  regulations  for 
the  sale  of  oil.  Behind  the  doorways  were  two  columns 
facing  the  interior. 

The  greater  part  of  the  Market  is  still  covered  with  streets 
and  buildings,  but  the  construction  is  fairly  clear  from  a 
study  of  the  excavated  southeast  corner.  Here  is  found  a 


THE  HELLENISTIC  AND  ROMAN  AGORA  139 


second  gateway  much  like  the  eastern,  but  in  a very  ruinous 
condition.  Its  paved  floor  is  elevated  by  three  steps  above 
the  interior,  showing  that  it  was  used  only  by  visitors  on 
foot;  the  four  columns  which  front  it  are  unfluted  (Fig. 
75).  This  entrance  lies  obliquely  to  the  wall  and  is  so  far 
south  that  a corresponding  gateway  farther  north  may  be 
assumed.  South  of  the  second  propylum  are  foundations 
of  four  shops,  somewhat  like  those  of  the  Stoa  of  Attalus. 
The  inclosure  may  have  had  doors  also  on  the  north  side ; 
the  spade  alone  can  determine.  Excavations  are  being 
continued  near  the  middle  of  the  south  side,  and  here  a 
series  of  rooms,  a spring,  which  still  affords  a rill  of  water, 
and  a stairway  leading  down  from  above  have  already  been 
brought  to  light. 

In  front  of  the  extant  east  shops  was  a row  of  unfluted 
Ionic  columns,  of  which  numerous  bases  and  stumps  re- 
main. These  columns  supported  a covered  portico,  which 
continued  along  the  south  side ; only  here,  at  least  up  to 
a point  near  the  middle,  was  a central  row  of  columns  with- 
out bases,  instead  of  shops.  The  arrangement  on  the  other 
sides  is  conjectural;  so,  too,  is  the  treatment  of  the  paved 
central  area,  which  alone  covers  more  than  an  acre  of 
ground. 

The  decree  concerning  the  sale  of  oil,  the  standard  meas- 
ures of  length  cut  in  the  extant  anta,  tables  found  in  the 
inclosure  with  hollows  giving  the  standard  measures  of 
volume,  and  inscriptions  relating  to  overseers  of  the  Market, 
make  the  use  of  the  structure  certain.  We  should  be  glad 
to  know  if  the  oil-market  of  classic  times  also  stood  here ; 
such  locations  are  persistent.  The  building  as  we  know 
it  is  an  impressive  testimony  to  the  favor  of  the  early 
Caesars,  as  well  as  to  the  comparatively  good  taste  still 
prevailing  in  Athens  in  their  day. 


140 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


Fig.  75.  — East  propylum  of  the  Market  of  Caesar  and  Augustus,  from  the  west. 
On  the  left  is  the  Tower  of  the  Winds  and  near  the  middle  the  arches  of  the  Agoranomium. 


THE  HELLENISTIC  AND  ROMAN  AGORA  141 


Some  fifty  feet  east  of  the  second  gateway  of  the  Mar- 
ket, and  nearly  parallel  with  it,  was  a flight  of  eight  or  ten 
steps,  of  which  portions  of  four  remain,  leading  up  to  some 
sort  of  a public  building.  Two  and  a half  arches  of  an  en- 
trance way  (Fig.  76),  and  part  of  the  foundation,  survive. 


Fig.  76.  — Steps  and  arches  belonging  to  the  Roman  “ Agoranomium.” 

These  together  with  fragmentary  inscriptions  make  it  likely 
that  here  was  the  Agoranomium,  or  office  of  the  overseers 
of  the  Market.  The  building  was  dedicated,  like  the  Mar- 
ket, to  Athena  Archegetis  and  to  the  “ August  Gods,” 
that  is,  to  Roman  emperors.  The  building  is  certainly 
later  than  the  Tower  of  the  Winds,  for  its  corner  rests  partly 
upon  the  corner  of  that  structure ; and  considerations  of 
style  make  it  probable  that  it  was  also  later  than  the  Market 
of  Caesar  and  Augustus,  though  the  peculiar  orientation 
of  the  east  gateway  of  the  Market  may  have  some  relation 
to  the  Agoranomium.  At  a still  later  date  additions  were 
made  at  the  east  end. 

Just  north  of  the  Agoranomium  is  the  Horologium,  which 
is  popularly  known  as  the  Tower  of  the  Winds  (Fig.  77). 


142 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


This  building  is  mentioned  by  Varro  in  his  De  re  rustica , 
composed  in  37  b.c.,  and  is  described  in  detail  by  the  Ro- 
man architect  Vitruvius,  who  probably  wrote  during  the 
reign  of  Augustus.  On  their  authority  we  know  that  it  was 
constructed  by  Andronicus  Cyrrhestes,  who  flourished  in 


Fig.  77. — Tower  of  the  Winds,  or  Horologium  of  Andronicus  Cyrrhestes. 

the  first  century  b.c.,  and  who  took  his  name  from  his  birth- 
place, Cyrrhus,  in  Syria.  The  building  is  to  be  dated,  then, 
somewhere  near  the  middle  of  the  last  century  of  the  old 
era. 

The  Horologium  is  built  of  Pentelic  marble,  and  in  plan 
is  a true  octagon ; it  is  about  26  feet  in  greatest  diameter, 
and  42  feet  high.  Its  wall  rises  above  three  steps  and  is 
composed  of  squared  blocks  of  varying  widths,  the  sections 
being  divided  by  narrow  string-courses,  which  correspond 


THE  HELLENISTIC  AND  ROMAN  AGORA  143 


to  projecting  cornices  on  the  interior.  The  building  is 
oriented  a little  to  the  east  of  due  north,  and  has  two  en- 
trances, on  the  northeast  and  northwest,  respectively.  Be- 
fore the  doors  were  small  porticoes,  whose  roofs  were  sup- 
ported at  the  back  by  pilasters  and  in  front  by  Corinthian 
columns  of  good  style  but  without  bases;  the  lower  por- 
tions of  the  columns  are  in  situ.  The  roof  of  the  building 
is  made  of  wedge-shaped  slabs  of  marble,  topped  by  a 
crown-stone  which  was  originally  surmounted,  as  Vitru- 
vius tells  us,  by  a weather-vane  in  the  form  of  a bronze 


Fig.  78.  — Reliefs  representing  the  Winds  Caecias,  Boreas,  Sciron,  and 
Zephyrus,  on  the  Horologium. 

Triton  pointing  with  a wand  at  the  personifications  of  the 
prevailing  winds  (pp.  20  f .)  as  portrayed  in  the  reliefs  below 
the  cornice  (Fig.  78). 

These  eight  reliefs  bear  inscriptions  giving  their  names. 
Boreas,  the  cold  north  wind,  is  a bearded  man  wearing  a 
heavy  sleeved  robe  and  buskins,  and  blowing  on  a shell; 
Caecias,  the  boisterous  northeast  wind,  is  also  bearded  and 
warmly  clad,  and  carries  a vessel  containing  what  seem  to 
be  hailstones ; Apeliotes,  the  mild  and  rainy  east  wind,  is 
a youth  with  a bundle  of  grain  and  fruits ; Eurus,  the  threat- 
ening southeast  wind,  is  a bearded  man  clad  in  a chlamys, 


144 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


which  he  lifts  to  shield  his  face ; Notus,  the  showery  south 
wind,  is  a youth  lightly  dressed  and  holding  an  inverted 
water  jar ; Lips,  the  southwest  wind,  favorable  for  sailors, 
is  a youth  bearing  the  aplustre  of  a ship ; Zephyrus,  the 
warm  west  wind,  is  almost  nude  and  has  his  mantle  filled 
with  flowers;  Sciron,  the  scorching  northwest  wind,  is  a 
bearded  man  with  an  inverted  brazier.  All  the  figures 
are  winged ; some  of  their  attributes  admit  of  various  in- 
terpretations, and  the  forms  are  somewhat  formal  and 
stiff. 

Diverging  from  a gnomon  under  each  relief  are  the  in- 
cised lines  of  a sundial,  and  inside  the  building  was  a 
clepsydra,  or  water  clock,  so  that  the  habitue  of  the  Agora, 
in  fair  and  cloudy  weather  alike,  might  learn  the  time  of 
day.  Engaged  structurally  with  the  south  wall  is  a small 
circular  wing,  perhaps  a cistern  to  supply  the  clepsydra, 
which  may  have  stood  in  the  center  of  the  floor,  where  com- 
plicated cuttings  have  so  far  defied  efforts  at  interpreta- 
tion. The  walls  inside  the  building  are  divided  into  three 
“stories”  and  an  attic  by  cornices,  or  shelves,  the  second 
from  the  bottom  being  of  ornate  Corinthian  style  (Fig.  79). 
On  the  upper  cornice  and  in  the  corners  behind  the  reliefs 
are  miniature  Doric  columns,  while  close  under  the  roof 
are  horizontal  slits  which  probably  served  for  ventilation. 

The  most  pretentious  building  in  this  region  is  the  one 
which  has  long  been  called  the  Stoa  of  Hadrian,  though 
this  name  has  no  ancient  authority.  The  building  is 
probably  the  Library  of  Hadrian,  which  Pausanias  men- 
tions in  a later  passage  (p.  162)  as  a conspicuous  edifice 
erected  by  the  emperor,  and  to  which  St.  Jerome  gave 
special  praise  (Eusebius,  Chron.  01.  227).  It  was  adorned, 
Pausanias  adds,  with  a hundred  columns  of  Phrygian  mar- 
ble and  with  stoae  against  its  marble,  or  marble-veneered, 


THE  HELLENISTIC  AND  ROMAN  AGORA  145 

walls,  while  its  rooms  for  books  were  covered  with  alabaster, 
with  gilded  ceilings,  and  were  adorned  with  statues  and 
paintings. 


Fig.  79. — Elevation  and  section  of  the  Tower  of  the  Winds,  restored. 

The  Library  of  Hadrian  (Fig.  80)  lies  a little  north  of  the 
Market  of  Caesar  and  Augustus  and  nearly  parallel  to  it. 
It  was  a huge  rectangle,  400  feet  long  and  270  feet  wide, 
with  walls  of  poros.  The  long  northern,  and  doubtless 
the  southern,  wall  had  three  large  apses,  the  middle  one 
rectangular,  the  others  semicircular.  Close  to  the  west, 
or  chief,  facade  of  the  building  (Fig.  81)  ran  a colonnade  of 
fourteen  unfluted  Corinthian  columns  filling  the  spaces 
between  the  antae  at  the  ends  of  the  prolonged  side  walls 
and  the  central  propylum.  The  northern  seven  of  these 
columns  remain ; they  are  said  to  be  of  Carystian  marble, 
or  cipollino,  with  capitals  of  Pentelic  marble.  Possibly 
they  once  bore  statues.  The  propylum  at  the  middle  faced 
the  west  and  was  fronted  by  four  fluted  Corinthian  columns, 


146 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


only  one  of  which  remains  (visible  at  the  extreme  right  in 
Fig.  81).  The  eastern  facade  (Fig.  82),  facing  on  the  pres- 
ent Aeolus  Street,  is  plain,  save  for  its  projection  and 
buttresses  at  the  middle. 

Less  than  half  of  the  interior  has  been  excavated.  At 
the  east  end  have  been  uncovered  the  foundations  of  several 


large  rooms.  The  middle  room  may  have  been  the  room 
devoted  to  the  storage  of  books;  near  it  were  found  per- 
sonifications, in  marble,  of  the  Iliad  and  the  Odyssey. 
The  corner  rooms  were  covered  with  barrel  vaults  and  may 
have  been  reading  or  lecture  rooms.  The  other  rooms  at 
this  end  of  the  building  perhaps  were  cloak  rooms ; off  one 
of  them  was  a toilet  room. 

Around  the  central  area  ran  the  portico,  about  24  feet 
wide ; the  roof  was  supported  by  the  hundred  columns  of 
Phrygian  marble,  only  fragments  of  which  have  been  found. 


THE  HELLENISTIC  AND  ROMAN  AGORA  147 


Fig.  81.  — West  end  of  the  Library  of  Hadrian. 


Fig.  82.  — East  end  of  the  Library  of  Hadrian. 


148 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


Originally  the  space  inclosed  by  the  colonnade,  some  268 
by  196  feet  in  dimensions,  had  in  its  center  a long  and  nar- 
row reservoir,  doubtless  surrounded  by  trees,  flowers,  and 
statues.  But  later  the  reservoir  was  filled,  and  an  elaborate 
building,  possibly  an  extension  to  the  library  proper,  with 
corridors,  apses,  and  niches,  was  constructed  to  take  its 
place  (Fig.  83).  In  the  Middle  Ages  this  central  structure 


Fig.  83.  — Interior  of  the  Library  of  Hadrian;  on  the  left  the  columns 
and  walls  of  mediaeval  church. 

was  turned  into  a church  of  the  Virgin.  The  palace  of  the 
Turkish  voivode  was  afterwards  built  on  the  site  of  the 
Library,  and  still  later  the  ruins  were  made  into  a bazaar, 
for  which  Lord  Byron  supplied  a clock.  The  bazaar  was 
burned  in  a great  fire  in  1886. 

In  the  passage  in  which  Pausanias  speaks  of  the  Library 
(1,  18,  9)  he  names  also  several  other  buildings  of  Hadrian; 
a gymnasium  with  a hundred  columns  of  Libyan  marble, 
a temple  of  Hera  and  Zeus  Panhellenius  (here,  Hadrian  and 
his  wife  Sabina),  and  a “sanctuary  common  to  all  the  gods,” 
a Pantheum.  Some  scholars  identify  the  building  de- 
scribed above  with  the  gymnasium,  but  this  is  less  likely. 


THE  HELLENISTIC  AND  ROMAN  AGORA 


Unfortunately  Pausanias  is  not  following  a topographical 
order  when  he  names  these  buildings,  and  we  cannot  tell 
where  they  are. 


THE  MARKET 

As  in  Athens  to-day,  so  in  ancient  Athens  most  of  the 
trade  was  in  the  hands  of  the  small  dealer.  In  later  times 
such  buildings  as  the  Alphitopolis,  the  Stoa  of  Attalus,  and 
the  Market  of  Caesar  and  Augustus  provided  stalls  for 
various  tradesmen,  but  during  the  classical  period  simple 
booths  were  erected  for  the  purpose.  The  localities  of 
trade  were  “circles”  named  from  the  commodities  offered 
for  sale.  The  booths,  or  “tents,”  were  made  of  wood  or 
wickerwork ; probably  they  were  separated  by  narrow 
streets  or  lanes. 

The  various  circles  crowded  close  about  the  civic  Agora 
on  all  sides  except  the  south,  but  we  can  locate  few  of  them 
more  definitely.  The  shops  belonging  to  one  Pythodorus 
were  near  the  Leocorium  (p.  128),  at  the  north  edge  of  the 
Agora ; the  coppersmiths  were  adjacent  to  the  temple  of 
Hephaestus  (p.  1 1 7) ; the  fish  market  was  probably  near 
the  Painted  Porch  (pp.  123  ff.) ; the  dealers  in  secondhand 
purloined  goods,  called  the  Cercopes  from  the  “ thievish  and 
wights”  who  once  robbed  Heracles,  were  near  the  court  of 
Heliaea  (p.  364)  at  the  southeast  corner  of  the  Agora.  Books 
were  sold  in  the  civic  Agora  at  the  old  Orchestra  (p.  105). 
We  can  localize  no  further,  but  we  know  the  names  of 
many  of  the  circles;  the  tables  of  each  were  the  centers 
of  traffic  in  the  particular  kind  of  merchandise.  The  con- 
sideration of  the  lively  scenes  enacted  here  belongs  rather 
to  the  study  of  Greek  life  than  to  our  present  topic.  The 
Characters  of  Theophrastus  picture  some  amusing  types  of 
the  men  who  thronged  the  market. 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


*S° 

The  circle  called  “The  Fishes,”  with  special  booths  for 
the  sale  of  eels,  or  anchovies,  or  salted  fish,  and  a score  of 
others,  was  a quarter  much  frequented.  At  “The  Meats” 
one  found  beef,  pork,  asses’  flesh,  game,  and  other  varieties. 
“The  Birds”  afforded  different  fowls,  wild  and  domestic. 
“The  Vegetables”  included  numerous  smaller  circles, 
“The  Pulses,”  “The  Cresses,”  “The  Onions,”  “The  Figs,” 
and  the  rest.  Wines,  oils,  vinegar,  honey,  of  course,  had 
each  their  circle.  “The  Cheeses,”  particularly  “The  Green 
Cheese,”  was  a circle  much  patronized.  For  all  these  a 
generic  name  seems  to  have  been  “The  Relishes.”  Other 
circles  were  devoted  to  prepared  and  manufactured  mer- 
chandise, as  bread,  sausage,  and  bakestuffs.  Still  others 
were  for  clothing  and  the  various  utensils.  At  the 
“Women’s  Agora”  were  sold  articles  of  women’s  handiwork 
and  goods  made  for  women’s  use.  A horse  market  and  a 
slave  market  were  also  to  be  found.  Money  changers  had 
a special  quarter  for  their  “tables.”  In  other  places  cooks 
and  other  workmen  waited  for  employment ; flute  players 
and  courtesans  as  well,  the  latter  near  the  Leocorium. 
Barbers’  shops,  shoe-shops,  perfumers’  shops,  and  the  like 
were  favorite  lounging  places  for  idlers.  Of  these  and 
many  others  Greek  literature  makes  frequent  mention. 


BUILDINGS  ON  THE  NORTH  SLOPE  OF  THE  ACROPOLIS 

Since  leaving  the  Painted  Porch  (p.  128)  we  have  been 
obliged  to  abandon  the  guidance  of  Pausanias ; we  may  now 
return  to  his  narrative.  “ In  the  gymnasium  not  far  distant 
from  the  Agora,  and  called  the  Gymnasium  of  Ptolemy 
from  its  builder,  are  some  stone  herms  worth  seeing  and  a 
bronze  image  of  Ptolemy.  A statue  of  Juba  the  Libyan  and 
one  of  Chrysippus  of  Soli  are  also  here.”  From  the  Painted 


THE  HELLENISTIC  AND  ROMAN  AGORA  15 1 


Porch,  or  rather  the  Altar  of  Pity,  which  caused  him  to  make 
a digression  on  Athenian  altars,  Pausanias  passes  south- 
ward towards  the  Acropolis,  naming  in  order  the  Gymna- 
sium of  Ptolemy,  the  Theseum,  the  Anaceum,  and  the 
Aglaurium. 

The  Ptolemaeum  may  be  sought  southwest  of  the  Stoa 
of  Attalus  (Fig.  46).  Indeed,  a number  of  inscriptions 
mentioning  it  have  been  found  within  this  Stoa,  which 
probably  were  carried  the  short  distance  to  build  into  the 
“ Valerian  Wall.”  These  inscriptions  tell  us  that  the 
ephebi,  or  lads  of  from  eighteen  to  twenty  years,  attended 
lectures  on  philosophy  in  the  Ptolemaeum  ; and  Cicero  says 
( De  fin.  5,  1, 1)  that  he  listened  to  the  philosopher  Antiochus 
“in  that  gymnasium  which  is  called  the  Ptolemaeum.” 
The  building  contained  a library  to  which  the  ephebi  often 
contributed  books;  it  must  also  have  had  spacious  rooms 
and  courts  for  exercise  and  recreation.  If,  as  is  probable, 
it  was  constructed  by  Ptolemy  Philadelphus  (285-247  b.c.), 
it  was  one  of  the  earliest  Hellenistic  buildings  in  the  city. 
No  sure  trace  of  it  has  yet  been  found. 

Plutarch  tells  us  on  the  authority  of  Philochorus  ( Thes . 
36)  that  the  tomb  of  Theseus  lay  “in  the  middle  of  the  city 
beside  the  present  gymnasium,”  doubtless  the  gymnasium  of 
Ptolemy,  the  statement  thus  being  consistent  with  Pausa- 
nias’s  words,  “Next  to  the  gymnasium  is  a sanctuary  of 
Theseus.”  Pausanias  also  tells  us  that  the  sacred  close  of 
Theseus  was  founded  when  the  bones  of  the  hero  were 
buried  in  it,  having  been  brought  back  from  the  island  of 
Scyros  by  Cimon  “later  than  the  Median  landing  at  Mara- 
thon,” apparently  in  469  b.c.  Thereafter  it  became  one  of 
the  most  sacred  sites  of  Athens  (p.  114)  and  an  inviolate 
asylum  for  all  fugitives.  The  inclosure  must  have  been  of 
considerable  extent,  for  in  it  troops  sometimes  marshaled. 


152 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


assemblies  met,  and  certain  trials  and  elections  were  held. 
No  mention  is  made  of  a temple  ; being  a heroum,  it  prob- 
ably had  none,  but  it  certainly  possessed  one  or  more 
buildings,  of  which  at  least  one  contained  paintings. 

We  have  previously  noted  that  the  temple  long  called  the 
Theseum  has  wrongly  been  assigned  to  Theseus  (p.  117),  and 
we  now  see  one  reason.  That  the  Theseum  must  have  been 
near  the  entrance  to  the  Acropolis  is  evident  from  a ruse 
of  Peisistratus  narrated  by  Aristotle  {Const,  of  Athens  15). 
“He  disarmed  the  citizens  in  the  following  manner:  He 
called  an  armed  assembly  to  be  held  in  the  Theseum  and 
undertook  to  address  the  people,  but  he  purposely  spoke 
in  a low  tone.  When  they  said  they  could  not  hear  him, 
he  told  them  to  ascend  toward  the  propylum  of  the  Acro- 
polis, in  order  that  he  might  speak  more  easily.  While  he 
kept  on  with  his  harangue,  men  appointed  for  the  purpose 
took  the  weapons  and  locked  them  up  in  the  buildings  near 
the  Theseum.”  Polyaenus  (1,  21,  2)  tells  the  same  story 
with  some  variations,  particularly  that  the  assembly  was 
held  in  the  Anaceum  and  that  the  weapons  were  put  “in 
the  sanctuary  of  Agraulus.”  But  the  “buildings  near 
the  Theseum,”  in  Aristotle’s  story,  may  have  been  those  of 
the  Agraulium ; the  Theseum  and  Anaceum  were  contigu- 
ous, so  that  the  slight  confusion  is  not  strange ; hence 
the  general  argument  for  the  location  of  the  precinct,  added 
to  the  words  of  Plutarch  and  Pausanias,  is  not  invalidated. 
The  period  of  Peisistratus,  so  much  before  the  time  when  the 
bones  of  Theseus  were  brought  back  to  Athens,  justifies 
the  assumption  that  a sanctuary  was  situated  here  earlier 
than  the  days  of  Cimon ; this  does  not,  however,  impair 
the  topographical  value  of  the  story  of  Peisistratus’s  trick. 

Pausanias  further  adds  that  in  the  Theseum  “are  paint- 
ings of  the  Athenians  fighting  with  the  Amazons,  the  war 


THE  HELLENISTIC  AND  ROMAN  AGORA 


153 


depicted  also  on  the  shield  of  Athena  and  on  the  base  of 
Olympian  Zeus.  In  the  sanctuary  is  painted  also  the  Battle 
of  Centaurs  and  Lapiths.  Theseus  has  already  slain  his 
Centaur,  but  the  battle  of  the  rest  is  still  raging  on  even 
terms.  The  painting  on  the  third  of  the  walls  is  not  clear 
to  those  who  have  not  learned  the  story,  partly  because  of 
the  defacement  wrought  by  time,  and  partly  because  Micon 
did  not  paint  the  entire  story.  When  Minos  was  taking 
Theseus  and  the  rest  of  the  youths  to  Crete,  he  fell 
enamored  of  Periboea.  As  Theseus  vehemently  protested, 
Minos  in  a fury  hurled  other  insults  at  him  and  declared 
that  Theseus  was  not  the  son  of  Poseidon,  since  he  could 
not  bring  back  the  seal  ring  which  Minos  chanced  to  be 
wearing,  if  he  cast  it  in  the  sea.  With  these  words  Minos 
is  said  to  have  flung  the  ring  into  the  sea,  from  which 
Theseus,  they  say,  emerged  both  with  the  ring  and  with 
a golden  crown  given  him  by  Amphi trite.” 

Pausanias  does  not  state  specifically  that  Micon  painted 
all  the  pictures  of  the  Theseum,  but  this  is  the  natural 
inference.  Our  interest,  like  his,  is  centered  on  the  third 
painting.  The  story  is  repeated  by  Hyginus,  but  the  fullest 
and  best  account  is  that  of  a beautiful  ode  of  Bacchylides 
found  a few  years  ago  in  Egypt.  Representations  of  the 
tale  are  painted  on  several  extant  Greek  vases,  the  best  of 
which  is  the  superb  cylix  signed  by  Euphronius  and  now  in 
the  Louvre  at  Paris  (Fig.  84).  Theseus  supported  on  the 
hands  of  Triton  is  at  the  bottom  of  the  sea,  as  the  dolphins 
about  him  indicate.  He  reaches  out  his  hand  to  Amphi  trite, 
who  holds  a crown.  In  the  background  is  the  goddess 
Athena. 

Without  mentioning  its  situation,  Pausanias  says  : “The 
sanctuary  of  the  Dioscuri  is  ancient;  they  themselves  are 
standing,  and  their  sons  are  on  horseback.  Here  is  a paint- 


154  ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 

ing  by  Polygnotus  of  the  marriage  of  the  daughters  of 
Leucippus,  which  concerned  the  Dioscuri,  and  one  by 
Micon  of  those  who  sailed  with  Jason  to  Colchis.  The 
emphasis  in  Micon’s  painting  is  laid  on  Acastus  and  his 


Fig.  84.  — Theseus,  Athena,  and  Amphitrite,  beneath  the  sea;  vase 
painting  by  Euphronius. 

horses.”  The  situation  of  the  precinct  of  the  Dioscuri, 
or  Anaceum,  is  indicated  by  the  order  of  mention  by 
Pausanias,  the  story  of  Polyaenus,  and  the  fact  that 
it  was  lower  than  the  Aglaurium  (see  below).  That  it 
was  on  the  slope  of  the  Acropolis  is  also  clear  from  the 


THE  HELLENISTIC  AND  ROMAN  AGORA 


155 


scene  depicted  by  Lucian  {Pise.  42)  of  the  needy  philos- 
ophers climbing  up  to  the  Acropolis  to  receive  a proffered 
dole.  “Whew  !”  cries  the  donor.  “How  full  the  ascent  is 
of  crowding  men  when  they  have  merely  heard  of  the  two 
minae  ! And  others  past  the  Pelargicum,  and  others  down 
by  the  Asclepieum,  and  still  more  past  the  Areopagus,  and 
some  too  down  by  the  tomb  of  Talus,  and  others  are  even 
planting  ladders  against  the  Anaceum  and  climbing  up.” 

The  sanctuary  must  have  been  large,  for  it  could  accom- 
modate troops  of  cavalry  and  infantry.  Slaves  sometimes 
stood  there  waiting  to  be  hired ; Demosthenes  speaks  of  a 
rascally  Phormio  “from  up  in  the  Anaceum.”  We  know 
nothing  of  its  buildings,  but  we  hear  of  its  having  been  struck 
by  lightning  in  the  time  of  Pericles  and  later  undergoing 
repairs.  The  paintings  of  Polygnotus  doubtless  por- 
trayed Castor  and  Polydeuces  carrying  off  from  Messene 
the  daughters  of  Leucippus,  Hilaeira  and  Phoebe,  who  were 
betrothed  to  Lynceus  and  Idas,  the  sons  of  Aphareus.  The 
scene  is  represented  in  several  vase  paintings,  notably  one 
by  Meidias  in  the  British  Museum  (Fig.  85).  Rubens 
employed  the  theme  for  one  of  his  best  works,  the  “Rape 
of  the  daughters  of  Leucippus,”  at  Munich.  Evidently  the 
representations  of  the  Dioscuri  and  their  sons,  Anaxis  and 
Mnasinus  (or  Anogon  and  Mnesileos),  were  sculptured. 
At  Athens  the  Dioscuri  were  called  Saviors,  and  Lords 
(Anaces),  whence  the  name  of  their  precinct. 

“Above  the  sanctuary  of  the  Dioscuri,”  Pausanias  goes 
on,  “is  the  precinct  of  Aglaurus.  They  say  that  Athena 
put  Erich thonius  in  a chest  and  gave  it  to  Aglaurus  and  her 
sisters  Herse  and  Pandrosus,  forbidding  them  to  meddle 
with  what  she  intrusted  to  them.  Pandrosus  is  said  to 
have  obeyed  ; but  the  other  two  opened  the  chest,  and  went 
mad  when  they  saw  Erichthonius,  and  cast  themselves  down 


156  ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 

from  the  Acropolis  where  it  was  most  precipitous.  The 
Medes  went  up  at  this  point  and  slew  those  of  the  Athenians 
who  thought  that  they  knew  better  than  Themistocles 
about  the  oracle  and  fortified  the  Acropolis  with  timbers 
and  palisades.” 


Fig.  85.  — Rape  of  the  daughters  of  Leucippus,  above;  the  garden  of 
the  Hesperides,  below;  vase  painting  by  Meidias. 

The  tale  related  by  Pausanias  is  only  one  of  various  forms 
of  the  myth,  but  we  are  not  concerned  with  that  here.  We 
see  from  his  story  that  the  Aglaurium,  or  Agraulium,  must 
have  been  at  the  foot  of  the  Acropolis.  That  it  was  near 
the  Propylaea  is  clear  from  the  tale  told  by  Aristotle  and 
Polyaenus  about  Peisistratus  (p.  152),  and  this  inference  is 


THE  HELLENISTIC  AND  ROMAN  AGORA 


I57 


further  justified  by  the  express  statement  of  an  ancient 
commentator  on  Demosthenes.  In  speaking  of  the  assault 
on  the  Acropolis  by  the  Persians  in  480  b.c.,  Pausanias 
has  in  mind  the  words  of  Herodotus,  who  says  (8,  53)  that 
the  Persians  clambered  up  “in  front  of  the  Acropolis  ” — that 
is,  at  its  western  end,  which  was  adorned  with  an  orna- 
mental gateway  and  faced  the  Agora  — “but  back  of  the 
gates  and  the  ascent  ...  by  the  sanctuary  of  the  daughter 
of  Cecrops,  Aglaurus,  though  the  place  was  precipitous.” 
This  evidence  permits  us  to  locate  the  precinct  at  the  north- 
west foot  of  the  Acropolis  close  to  the  Clepsydra  (Fig.  233), 
which  is  also  consistent  with  the  connection  of  the  site  by 
Euripides  with  the  Long  Rocks  and  the  caves  of  Pan  and 
Apollo  (pp.  353  ff.).  The  dance  of  the  Aglauridae,  of  which 
Euripides  sings,  may  be  depicted  in  certain  marble  reliefs 
portraying  Pan  peeping  down  from  his  cave  above  on  the 
left,  while  the  head  of  the  water  god,  Achelous,  perhaps 
here  a personification  of  the  Clepsydra,  is  on  the  right. 

The  Aglaurium  was  a sanctuary  of  importance,  for  here 
the  ephebi  took  their  oath  of  allegiance  on  going  forth  to 
war.  This  may  account  for  one  version  of  the  myth,  that 
Aglaurus  threw  herself  from  the  rock  as  a voluntary  sacri- 
fice in  fidelity  to  the  city. 

“Near  by  is  the  Prytaneum,  in  which  the  laws  of  Solon 
have  been  inscribed,  and  where  are  statues  of  the  goddesses 
Peace  and  Hestia,  and  of  Autolycus,  the  pancratiast,  and 
others,  for  they  have  reinscribed  the  figures  of  Miltiades 
and  Themis tocles,  turning  them  into  a Roman  and  a 
Thracian,  respectively.” 

The  Prytaneum  was  the  city  hall.  In  it  burned  a per- 
petual fire  on  the  common  hearth  of  the  state,  and  here  the 
Athenians  entertained  at  public  expense  famous  citizens 
and  guests  of  the  city ; Socrates  at  his  trial  demanded  that 


158 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


his  penalty  be  life  maintenance  in  the  Prytaneum,  of  which 
he  deemed  his  services  to  be  worthy. 

The  situation  of  the  Prytaneum  is  said  by  Pausanias  to 
be  near  the  Aglaurium.  Since  he  descends  thence  “to  the 
lower  parts  of  the  city”  and  turns  eastward,  and  since  from 
the  Prytaneum  there  was  a street  leading  around  the  east 
end  of  the  Acropolis  (p.  180),  the  Prytaneum  must  have  lain 
on  the  slope,  a little  to  the  east  of  the  Aglaurium,  somewhere 
near  the  ruined  chapel  of  St.  Nicholas.  Some  reason  exists 
for  the  belief  that  the  building  that  Pausanias  saw  was  one 
of  Roman  date  and  that  the  earlier  site  was  by  the  Ancient 
Agora  (p.  83) ; the  establishment  goes  back  into  the  regal 
period  of  the  city. 

The  laws  of  Solon,  which  were  preserved  in  the  Pryta- 
neum, were  engraved  on  axones,  or  revolving  stone  tablets ; 
whether  these  were  like  the  wedges  set  up  in  the  Royal 
Stoa,  or  not,  we  do  not  know.  The  Autolycus,  whose  statue 
Pausanias  saw,  was  the  athletic  youth  in  whose  honor 
the  banquet  described  in  the  Symposium  of  Xenophon  was 
held;  his  victory  in  the  pancratium  was  won  in  422 
b.c.,  and  the  statue  was  probably  the  work  of  Leochares. 
Besides  the  statues  mentioned  above  was  one  of  Demochares, 
the  nephew  of  Demosthenes,  and,  near  the  Prytaneum, 
one  of  Good  Fortune;  the  latter  was  so  beautiful  that,  as 
Aelian  states,  a certain  young  man  fell  violently  in  love 
with  it. 

Behind  the  Prytaneum,  perhaps  to  the  west,  since  the  site 
was  on  the  slope  of  the  Acropolis,  was  Hunger  Plain  (Limou- 
pedion) ; and  near  by  were  the  Basileum  and  the  Bucoleum, 
where  in  the  days  of  Draco  the  king  archon  lived,  and 
where  down  into  the  fourth  century  the  symbolic  marriage 
of  the  wife  of  the  king  with  Dionysus  was  celebrated.  But 
these  sites,  too,  may  have  been  near  the  Ancient  Agora. 


THE  HELLENISTIC  AND  ROMAN  AGORA 


159 


“ As  you  go  hence  to  the  lower  parts  of  the  city  is  a sanctu- 
ary of  Serapis.”  Serapis  was  an  Egyptian  divinity,  whose 
worship  was  introduced  into  Athens  in  the  time  of  Ptolemy 
Philadelphus.  Inscriptions  relating  to  his  worship  have 
been  found  near  the  Metropolitan  Church  and  at  the  north- 
east corner  of  the  Acropolis.  The  Serapeum  may  have 
been  at  or  near  one  of  these  points,  or  between  them. 

“Not  far  from  the  sanctuary  of  Serapis  is  a place  where 
Peirithoiis  and  Theseus  are  said  to  have  made  a compact 
before  they  went  to  Lacedaemon  and  afterwards  to  the 
Thesprotians.”  The  agreement  related  to  the  rape  of 
Helen  from  Sparta.  The  place  to  which  Pausanias  refers 
cannot  be  located. 

“Near  by  is  built  a temple  of  Eileithyia,”  the  goddess  of 
childbirth.  Various  inscriptions  of  the  divinity  have  been 
found,  but  the  places  of  discovery  are  so  scattered  that  the 
temple  cannot  be  located. 

Before  leaving  this  quarter  we  must  notice  the  Gymna- 
sium of  Diogenes  — the  Macedonian,  not  the  Cynic,  phi- 
losopher— where,  as  Plutarch  says  ( Quaest . symp.  9,  1,  1), 
the  ephebi  studied  “letters  and  geometry  and  rhetoric 
and  music,”  the  ordinary  routine  of  ancient  education.  A 
large  number  of  ephebic  inscriptions  have  been  found  near 
the  ruined  church  of  Demetrios  Katiphores,  but  no  building  ; 
probably  the  Diogeneum  was  in  the  vicinity. 

Most  of  this  region  was  occupied  in  antiquity,  as  at  the 
present  time,  by  private  houses.  Some  shrines  and  niches 
are  to  be  seen  halfway  up  the  slope  of  the  Acropolis,  but 
the  whole  quarter  awaits  excavation. 

From  the  vicinity  of  the  Prytaneum  two  roads  ran  east- 
wards. Pausanias  first  pursues  the  more  northerly  of  these, 
and  passes  to  Southeast  Athens. 


i6o 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


Fig.  86.  — Map  of  Southeast  Athens. 


CHAPTER  VI 


Southeast  Athens 


The  most  notable  building  of  Southeast  Athens  (Figs. 
87  and  88)  is  the  Olympieum,  the  largest  temple  in  Greece 


Fig.  87.  — Temple  of  Olympian  Zeus,  or  Olympieum,  from  the  northeast. 


and  one  of  the  largest  in  the  ancient  world;  only  a few 
temples  in  Magna  Graecia  and  Asia  Minor  are  larger. 
Pausanias’s  description  is  prolix  and  ill-articulated:  “ Be- 
fore coming  to  the  sanctuary  of  Olympian  Zeus  (Hadrian, 
the  king  of  the  Romans,  dedicated  both  the  temple  and  the 
statue,  which  is  worth  seeing,  since  it  surpasses  in  size 
all  other  statues  alike  except  the  colossi  of  Rhodes  and  of 
Rome,  and  is  made  of  ivory  and  gold,  and,  considering  its 
size,  is  of  good  workmanship)  there  are  two  statues  of 

161 


M 


162 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


Hadrian  in  Thasian  and  two  in  Egyptian  marble ; and  be- 
fore the  columns  are  bronze  images  which  the  Athenians 
call  ‘Colonies.’  The  entire  inclosure  is  about  four  stades 
in  circuit  and  full  of  statues ; for  from  each  city  is  dedicated 
an  image  of  King  Hadrian,  and  the  Athenians  outdid  them 
all  by  dedicating  the  colossus,  worth  seeing,  behind  the 
temple.  In  the  inclosure  are  some  ancient  works,  a bronze 
Zeus,  a temple  of  Cronus  and  Rhea,  and  a precinct  of  Earth 
surnamed  Olympian.  The  ground  here  is  cleft  for  about  a 
cubit,  and  they  say  that  after  the  flood,  which  occurred  in 
the  time  of  Deucalion,  the  water  ran  off  here,  and  every 
year  they  cast  into  the  chasm  wheaten  bread  kneaded  with 
honey.  Upon  a column  is  set  up  a statue  of  Isocrates.  . . . 
Here,  too,  are  Persians  of  Phrygian  marble  supporting  a 
bronze  tripod,  both  men  and  tripod  worth  seeing.  They 
say  that  Deucalion  built  the  ancient  sanctuary  of  Olympian 
Zeus,  and  they  point  out,  as  proof  of  the  fact  that  Deuca- 
lion lived  at  Athens,  a grave  not  far  distant  from  the  present 
temple.”.  Here  follows  the  enumeration  of  Hadrian’s  other 
buildings  in  Athens,  which  have  been  discussed  in  another 
connection  (pp.  144,  148). 

Excavation  in  the  central  area  of  the  Olympieum  re- 
vealed a primitive  cross-wall,  which  may  belong  to  the  sanc- 
tuary ascribed  by  tradition  to  Deucalion.  Other  walls  which 
were  found  have  been  thought  to  be  a part  of  the  great  temple 
begun  by  Peisistratus  about  530  b.c.  ; this  is  the  work  at 
which,  according  to  Aristotle,  Peisistratus  kept  the  people 
busy  for  years,  after  the  manner  of  the  builders  of  the  pyra- 
mids of  Egypt  and  the  works  of  the  tyrants  of  Corinth  and 
Samos,  so  as  to  prevent  their  murmuring  over  his  rule. 
The  cella  of  this  temple  was  of  a slightly  different  orienta- 
tion from  that  of  the  later  buildings  ; it  is  estimated  to  have 
been  116  by  50  feet  in  dimensions.  It  was  doubtless  Doric 


SOUTHEAST  ATHENS 


163 


in  style ; several  unfluted  drums  of  the  columns  have  been 
found,  one  of  them  7.5  feet  in  diameter.  The  architects 
were  Antistates,  Callaeschrus,  Antimachides,  and  Pormus 
(or  Porinus) ; this  we  learn  from  Vitruvius  (7,  praef.  15). 

The  end  of  the  tyranny  stopped  work  on  the  temple,  and 
for  nearly  seven  centuries  it  stood  unfinished.  No  men- 
tion of  it,  further  than  the  name,  is  found  in  literature  of 
the  classic  period.  About  174  b.c.  the  task  was  resumed  by 
Antiochus  IV  Epiphanes,  king  of  Syria,  who  employed  the 
Roman  architect  Cossutius  to  design  a temple  on  a larger 
scale  and  of  the  Corinthian  order.  Judging  from  their  style, 
— though  not  all  critics  are  agreed  in  the  matter,  — the 
extant  remains  seem  to  be  the  work  of  Cossutius ; but 
again  the  temple  was  left  unfinished,  though  well  advanced, 
as  the  praise  of  Vitruvius  shows.  Livy  speaks  of  it  (41, 
20,  8)  as  unum  in  terris  inchoatum  pro  magnitudine  dei , but 
Lucian  makes  Zeus  ask  impatiently  {Icaromen.  24)  “if  the 
Athenians  mean  to  finish  his  Olympieum;”  and  other 
writers  speak  of  it  as  half-done.  Sulla  carried  off  some  of 
the  columns,  perhaps  from  the  inside  of  the  cella,  to  rebuild 
the  Capitoline  temple  of  Jupiter  at  Rome.  A proposal  to 
complete  the  building  was  brought  forward  in  the  time  of 
Augustus,  but  abandoned. 

The  temple  was  finally  finished  by  the  emperor  Hadrian 
and  dedicated  in  130  or  13 1 a.d.  The  sophist  Polemo 
delivered  the  dedicatory  address  in  the  emperor’s  presence, 
and  a serpent  from  India  was  consecrated  in  the  sanctuary. 
How  much  of  the  structure  Hadrian  built  cannot  now  be 
determined ; probably  at  least  the  interior  colonnades, 
the  roof  and  the  decorations,  perhaps  the  entire  cella,  and 
certainly  the  enormous  statue  of  the  god. 

On  its  upper  step  the  temple  (Fig.  88)  measured  354  by 
135  feet,  and  its  height  was  upwards  of  90  feet.  The  two 


164 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


lower  of  its  three  steps  were  of  poros,  but  the  upper  step 
and,  so  far  as  we  know,  the  remainder  of  the  temple  was  of 
Pentelic  marble.  At  present  only  sixteen  columns  remain, 
one  of  these  lying  prostrate  (Fig.  89)  as  the  result  of  a 
hurricane  in  1852.  “ There  it  still  lies  with  its  vast  drums 


Fig.  88.  — Plan  of  the  Olympieum. 


of  solid  Pentelic  marble  shuffled  under  one  another  like  so 
many  cards  spread  to  choose  a partner ; a sight  well  fitted  to 
excite  astonishment  in  these  days  of  lath  and  plaster.”  1 
An  American  minister,2  who  had  an  estimate  made  some 
years  ago  of  the  probable  expense  of  reerecting  the  column, 
found  that  this  task  alone  would  cost  about  $3000,  an 
estimate  which  affords  a slight  basis  for  reckoning  the  total 
cost  of  the  temple.  A seventeenth  column  was  burned  by 

1 Dyer,  Ancient  Athens , p.  276. 

2 Mr.  Tuckerman;  see  his  The  Greeks  of  To-day , ed.  3,  p.  81. 


SOUTHEAST  ATHENS 


i65 

the  Turks  about  1760,  to  procure  mortar  for  the  building 
of  a new  mosque.  Near  the  middle  of  the  fifteenth  century 
a traveler  saw  twenty- 
one  columns.  The  thir- 
teen columns  grouped  at 
the  southeast  corner  are 
still  surmounted  by  a 
part  of  the  architrave. 

In  the  Middle  Ages  a sty- 
lite  hermit  made  his  lofty 
abode  on  the  isolated 
piece  of  architrave  over 
two  of  the  inner  columns  ; 
the  crude  masonry  of 
his  retreat  remained 
until  recently.  In  the  same  period  a church  of  St.  John 
was  located  here. 

The  temple  was  octastyle,  with  eight  columns  across  the 
front  and  rear,  these  being  set  in  three  rows ; and  it  was 
dipteral,  with  two  rows  of  columns  along  the  sides,  twenty 
in  each  row,  counting  corner  columns  twice.  Between  the 
antae  at  each  end  of  the  cella  two  columns  probably  stood ; 
these  included,  there  were  one  hundred  and  four  columns 
in  all.  The  columns  are  56.6  feet  high  and  5.6  feet  in 
diameter  at  the  base.  The  shafts  have  twenty-four 
flutings,  and  the  capitals  are  beautifully  wrought  (Fig.  89). 
The  remains  do  not  permit  of  a reconstruction  of  the  cella 
in  detail,  though  its  dimensions  have  been  ascertained ; 
it  measured  248  feet  by  62  feet.  The  roof,  by  unusual 
exception,  was  probably  hypaethral,  having  an  opening 
in  the  middle  to  light  the  cella.  Whether  or  not  the  pedi- 
ments and  frieze  were  sculptured,  cannot  be  determined. 

Evidently  Pausanias  was  not  altogether  satisfied  with  the 


Fig.  89.  — Upper  part  of  a fallen  column 
of  the  Olympieum. 

The  man  is  a modern  Greek  soldier,  an  Evzone. 


i66 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


great  gold  and  ivory  image  of  Zeus  in  the  cella  of  the  temple. 
Coins  of  Athens  (Fig.  90)  show  that  it  imitated  the  Zeus  of 
Pheidias  at  Olympia  — small  wonder  if  it 
fell  short ! The  god  was  represented  as 
sitting  on  an  elaborate  throne.  He  was 
nude  to  the  waist  and  held  a Victory  in 
the  outstretched  right  hand,  a scepter  in 
the  left. 

FlOl9°  ~ Stat^e  of  The  inclosure  in  which  the  temple  stood 
Athenian  coin.  ’ was  of  the  time  of  Hadrian,  and  Pausa- 
nias’s  account  presents  nearly  all  the  in- 
formation we  have  about  it.  It  is  674  feet  long  by  423 
feet  wide,  or  2194  feet,  not  far  from  Pausanias’s  four  stades 
(about  2328  feet)  in  circuit;  its 
area  is  more  than  six  and  a half 
acres.  This  space  is  surrounded 
by  a massive  wall  of  squared 
blocks,  supported  on  all  sides  by 
buttresses,  and  highest  on  the 
southeast  corner  (Fig.  4).  The 
inclosure  was  entered  on  the  north 
by  an  ornamental  gateway  in  line 
with  the  front  of  the  temple ; near 
the  west  end  of  the  north  wall 
was  a semicircular  exedra. 

The  “ Colonies”  in  the  precinct 
were  statues  showing  personifica- 
tions of  the  cities  which  dedicated  FlG>  9i-~ Fortune  of  Antioch, 
. . . ...  . by  Eutychides  (Vatican  Mu- 

tnem,  doubtless  like  the  Fortune  Seum,  Rome). 

of  Antioch,  by  Eutychides  (Fig. 

91).  Of  the  statues  of  Hadrian  numerous  bases  have  been 
found  in  the  area,  but  the  figures  have  perished.  The 
statue  of  Isocrates  which  Pausanias  saw  must  have  been 


SOUTHEAST  ATHENS  167 

the  one  that  was  set  up  by  the  adopted  son  of  the  orator, 
Aphareus. 

The  precinct  of  Cronus  and  Rhea  seems  to  have  extended 
down  to  the  Ilissus ; it  can  have  had  only  slight  connection 
with  the  Olympieum.  The  small  foundation  just  south  of 
the  Olympieum  may  conceivably  be  within  its  area. 
The  precinct  of  Olympian  Earth  was  also  extensive,  reach- 
ing nearly  to  the  Itonian  Gate  and  the  statue  of  the  Amazon 
Antiope  (p.  76). 

Near  the  northwest  corner  of  the  Olympieum,  but  having 
no  direct  relation  with  it,  is  the  Arch  of  Hadrian,  which, 
on  account  of  its  inscriptions  and  its  possible  connection 


Fig.  92.  — Arch  of  Hadrian,  from  the  west. 
A view  of  the  arch  from  the  east  is  given  in  Figure  23. 


1 68 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


with  the  pre-Persian  wall,  has  already  been  mentioned 
(p.  55).  The  Arch  is  of  Pentelic  marble  (Fig.  92);  it  is 
59  feet  high,  44  feet  wide,  and  7.5  feet  deep.  On  either  side 
of  the  central  opening,  on  each  face,  was  set  a Corinthian 
column.  The  attic,  or  second  story,  is  composed  of  pilasters 
and  columns  surmounted  by  an  entablature;  over  the 
middle  columns  are  pediments.  The  “ windows”  of  the 
attic  were  originally  closed  by  slabs  of  marble.  The  struc- 
ture is  somewhat  crude  in  design,  but  no  good  reason  exists 
for  attributing  it  to  any  one  but  Hadrian. 

“ After  the  temple  of  Olympian  Zeus  is  a statue,  near 
at  hand,  of  Pythian  Apollo ; and  there  is  also  another 
sanctuary  of  Apollo  surnamed  Delphinian.”  Thucydides 
tells  us  (6,  54,  6 f.)  of  an  altar  belonging  to  the  sanctuary  of 
Pythian  Apollo  and  dedicated  by  the  grandson  of  Peisistra- 
tus.  The  inscription  “in  dim  letters,”  says  the  historian, 
reads:  “This  memorial  of  his  archonship  Peisistratus 

son  of  Hippias  set  up  in  the  precinct  of  Pythian  Apollo.” 
Happily  a part  of  the  altar  has  been  found  near  its  original 
place  of  dedication  with  the  inscription  almost  intact 
(Fig.  93).  But  the  letters  are  cut  fairly  deep  and  do  not 
seem  especially  dim ; doubtless  they  were  once  bright  with 
the  red  color,  of  which  traces  have  been  detected  on  them. 
This  and  other  discoveries  make  the  situation  of  the 
Pythium  certain. 

The  Delphinium,  sacred  to  both  Apollo  and  Artemis, 
cannot  be  located  so  surely,  but  it  must  have  been  near  the 
Pythium,  a little  farther  to  the  east.  Aegeus,  the  father 
of  Theseus,  is  said  to  have  founded  it.  Pausanias  relates 
an  entertaining  anecdote  in  connection  with  this  sanctuary. 
“They  say  that  when  the  temple  was  all  finished  but  the 
roof,  Theseus,  still  unknown  to  every  one,  came  to  the  city, 
wearing  a tunic  reaching  to  his  feet  and  his  hair  becomingly 


SOUTHEAST  ATHENS 


169 


braided.  When  he  got  to  the 
temple  of  the  Delphinium,  the 
men  who  were  building  the  roof 
asked  in  sport:  ‘Well!  Why 
is  this  girl  just  ripe  for  marriage 
strolling  about  alone?’  The- 
seus gave  no  sign  of  having 
heard,  so  the  story  runs,  but 
unhitched  the  oxen  from  the 
wagon  that  stood  near  and 
hurled  them  higher  than  the 
roof  which  the  men  were  build- 
ing.” A sturdy  hero  ! 

In  this  region  we  must  notice 
also  the  precinct  of  Neleus 
and  Basile  and  Codrus,  made 
known  by  an  inscription,  of  418 
b.c.,  found  in  1884  southwest  of 
the  Olympieum,  where  the  pre- 
cinct must  have  been  located. 
The  inscription  records  pro- 
vision for  the  rental  and  repair 
of  the  precinct  and  the  plant- 
ing, by  the  lessee,  of  not  fewer 
than  two  hundred  olive  trees, 
which  should  be  irrigated  by 
the  water  draining  from  the 
Olympieum  and  from  the  Dio- 
nysium  near  the  theater.  This 
Neleum  was  evidently  be- 
tween the  two  gates  here  open- 
ing in  the  city  wall,  and  near 
it  were  a Bath  of  Isthmonicus, 


Fig.  93.  — Coping  of  the  altar  of  the  Pythium  (National  Museum,  Athens). 

The  inscription  reads:  fivrj/xa  toSc  ij?  apx>?s  Uei.ai<TT[paTO<;  'lnniov  ']inos  | 6ijxev  ’AttoWujvos  Il[v0i]ov  e i 


170  ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 

a “ public  house/’  and  the  Palaestra,  or  wrestling  court,  of 
Taureas. 

West  of  the  site  of  the  Neleum  stands  an  isolated 
column,  formerly  conspicuous,  but  now  surrounded  by 
houses ; it  may  have  formed  part  of  a Roman  stoa. 

“ About  the  place  which  they  call  the  Gardens  and  the 
temple  of  Aphrodite  no  story  is  told ; none  either  concern- 
ing the  Aphrodite  that  stands  near  the  temple.  Now  this 
is  square  in  form  like  the  herms,  and  the  inscription  sets 
forth  that  the  Heavenly  Aphrodite  is  the  eldest  of  the  Fates, 
as  they  are  called.  The  statue  of  the  ‘ Aphrodite  in  the 
Gardens’  is  the  work  of  Alcamenes  and  is  one  of  the  things 
most  worth  seeing  in  Athens.”  We  learn  from  Pliny 
{Nat.  hist.  36,  5)  that  the  Gardens  were  extra  muros. 
They  must  have  lain  along  the  Ilissus  south  of  the  Olym- 
pieum,  probably  on  the  right  bank,  since  Pausanias  seems 
not  yet  to  have  crossed  the  river  (p.  174).  Not  far  away 
was  an  inclosure  to  which  maidens  brought  mystic  ob- 
jects from  the  Acropolis  at  the  time  of  a sacred  festival 
(p.  338).  The  district  is  still  noteworthy  for  its  luxuriant 
vegetation. 

The  statue  of  Aphrodite  in  the  Gardens  was  apparently 
the  cult  statue  in  the  temple  and  distinct  from  the  Aphro- 
dite herm  which  Pausanias  also  mentions ; though  some 
think  otherwise.  Lucian  asks  in  one  of  his  dialogues 
{Imagines  4) : “ Answer  this  ! Have  you  seen  the  Aphrodite 
by  Alcamenes  in  the  Gardens  at  Athens  ? ” “ Of  course  ! ” is 

the  reply.  “I  should  be  the  most  stupid  of  men  if  I had 
not  seen  the  fairest  of  the  sculptures  of  Alcamenes.”  And 
for  his  ideal  composite  statue  he  says  {Ibid.  6)  he  will  take 
from  Alcamenes’s  figure  “the  cheeks  and  the  look  of  the 
face  and,  besides,  the  shape  of  the  hands,  the  graceful 
wrists,  and  the  delicately  tapering  fingers.”  Many  at- 


SOUTHEAST  ATHENS 


I7I 

tempts  have  been  made  to  identify  the  statue  with  existing 
copies.  The  most  favored  is  the  well-known  Venus  Gene- 
trix  (Fig.  94),  of  which  numerous  replicas  exist;  but  the 
identification  is  by  no  means  cer- 
tain. 

“ And  there  is  a sanctuary  of  Hera- 
cles which  is  called  Cynosarges ; 
those  who  have  read  the  oracle  will 
know  of  the  ‘white  dog.J  Here  are 
altars  of  Heracles  and  Hebe,  the 
daughter  of  Zeus,  who,  they  think, 
was  the  wife  of  Heracles.  An  altar 
has  been  made  also  of  Alcmene 
and  Iolaus,  the  latter  of  whom  as- 
sisted Heracles  in  the  majority  of  his 
labors.”  Cynosarges,  with  its  grove 
and  gymnasium,  was  one  of  the 
famous  parks  of  Athens.  According 
to  Plutarch  ( Themistocles  1),  The- 
mistocles,  being  the  son  of  an  alien 
mother  and  so  forbidden  to  use  the 
gymnasia  within  the  walls,  in  order 
to  lessen  his  disgrace,  persuaded  a 
number  of  high-born  youths  to  join  him  in  Cynosarges. 
The  founder  of  the  Cynic  school  of  philosophy,  Antisthenes, 
lectured  here,  and  in  the  fourth  century  b.c.  the  park  was 
the  rendezvous  of  a group  of  wits  who  called  themselves 
“The  Sixty.”  The  park  was  of  considerable  size,  for  in  it 
troops  were  sometimes  quartered ; the  warriors  returning 
from  Marathon  encamped  here.  The  story  to  which  Pau- 
sanias  alludes,  that  Diomus  founded  the  precinct  where  the 
“white  dog”  dropped  a victim  stolen  from  the  altar,  is 
doubtless  an  aetiological  explanation  of  the  meaning  of 


Fig.  94. — “Venus  Gene- 
trix,”  supposed  to  be  a 
copy  of  the  Aphrodite 
in  the  Gardens,  by  Al- 
camenes  (Louvre  Mu- 
seum, Paris). 


172 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


the  word  Cynosarges;  whether  or  not  it  really  means 
“ White  Dog”  is  not  easy  to  determine. 

Opinions  as  to  the  site  of  Cynosarges  are  various.  We 
know  that  it  was  outside  the  Diomean  Gate  (p.  65),  but 
unfortunately  the  situation  of  the  gate  is  not  known  inde- 
pendently. The  place  last  named  by  Pausanias  was  the 
Gardens ; the  next  to  be  mentioned  is  the  Lyceum,  unques- 
tionably east  of  the  city.  We  should  infer,  then,  that 
Cynosarges  lay  between  these  points.  The  opening  para- 
graphs of  the  Pseudo-Platonic  Axiochus  corroborate  this 
view.  Socrates  is  speaking:  “As  I was  going  out  to 

Cynosarges  and  was  down  by  the  Ilissus,  I heard  the  voice 
of  some  one  crying  ‘ Socrates  ! Socrates  ! ’ When  I turned 
around  to  discover  the  source  of  the  sound,  I saw  Cleinias, 
the  son  of  Axiochus,  running  to  Callirrhoe  with  Damon, 
the  musician,  and  Charmides,  the  son  of  Glaucon.  . . . 
So  I decided  to  leave  the  straight  road  and  meet  them,  that 
we  might  get  together  most  easily.”  Cleinias  begs  Soc- 
rates to  come  home  with  him  to  comfort  his  father,  who 
is  dying,  and  Socrates  accedes  to  his  request.  “And  as 
we  went  on  more  rapidly  by  the  road  along  the  wall,  we 
found  Axiochus  by  the  Itonian  Gate,  for  he  lived  near  the 
gate  by  the  pillar  of  the  Amazon.”  Evidently  Cleinias, 
hurrying  from  his  home  by  the  Itonian  Gate  (p.  65),  calls 
to  Socrates  just  as  he  has  passed  Callirrhoe  on  his  way 
northeastward  to  Cynosarges.  These  conditions  are  best 
met  by  a site  near  the  present  Zappeion,  northeast  of  the 
Olympieum  (Fig.  86).  On  the  rise  of  ground  to  the  left 
were  the  tombs  of  the  family  of  Isocrates,  whose  own 
grave  was  surmounted  by  a pillar  thirty  cubits  high  bearing 
a Siren  seven  cubits  high,  the  symbol  of  the  orator’s  elo- 
quence. The  tomb  of  the  Spartan  Anchiomolius,  who 
died  at  Phalerum  in  the  attempt  to  drive  out  the  Peisi- 


SOUTHEAST  ATHENS 


I73 


stratids,  was  also  near,  probably  to  the  east,  toward  the 
deme  of  Alopece.  But  these  had  perhaps  disappeared 
before  the  time  of  Pausanias,  for  the  sanctuary  was  laid 
waste  in  200  b.c.  by  Philip  V of  Macedon. 

“The  Lyceum  takes  its  name  from  Lycus,  the  son  of 
Pandion,  and  has  been  considered  sacred  to  Apollo  from 
the  beginning  up  to  our  time ; the  god  was  first  called  Ly- 
cean  here.  Behind  the  Lyceum  is  a monument  of  Nisus.” 
Pausanias  is  wrong  in  his  explanation  of  the  name  Lyceum, 
which  doubtless  comes  from  Lycian,  or  “Wolfish,”  Apollo. 
The  Lyceum  was  founded  in  the  sixth  or  fifth  century  b.c. 
and  restored  by  Lycurgus  in  the  fourth  century.  It  was 
large  enough  to  serve  for  the  evolutions  of  infantry  and 
cavalry.  Socrates  liked  to  loiter  here,  and  the  spot  is 
still  more  famous  as  the  scene  of  the  lectures  of  Aristotle, 
founder  of  the  Peripatetics,  so  named  from  their  custom 
of  walking  about  in  the  shady  park  during  his  discourses. 
Philip  devasted  the  Lyceum  as  well  as  Cynosarges,  and  more 
than  a century  later  Sulla  cut  down  the  trees  to  make 
siege-engines. 

Strabo  tells  us  that  the  sources  of  the  Eridanus,  which 
rose  on  the  side  of  Lycabettus  and  flowed  through  the  city, 
were  “outside  of  the  so-called  Gate  of  Diochares  near  the 
Lyceum”  (p.  65),  and  again  that  the  Ilissus  flowed  from 
the  region  “beyond  Agra  and  the  Lyceum.”  The  first 
of  these  statements  indicates  that  the  site  of  the  Lyceum 
was  east  of  the  city  and  not  far  from  Lycabettus ; the  sec- 
ond justifies  the  inference  that  it  was  across  the  Ilissus 
from  Agra.  It  cannot  have  been  far  from  the  present 
military  barracks.  A broad  road,  nearly  identical  with  the 
modern  Cephissia  Street,  led  from  the  Lyceum  to  the 
Diochares  Gate.  During  the  civil  war  of  403  b.c.  this  road 
was  blocked  by  the  engineer  of  the  oligarchs  against  the 


174 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


attempts  of  the  democratic  party  from  Peiraeus  to  assail 
the  gate  with  siege-engines. 

Before  crossing  the  river  Pausanias  mentions  several 
lesser  sanctuaries,  the  spot  whence  the  north  wind,  Boreas, 
carried  off  the  maid  Oreithyia,  an  altar  of  the  Ilissian  Muses, 
and  the  place  “ where  the  Peloponnesians  killed  Codrus 
son  of  Melanthus,  the  king  of  Athens;”  but  the  situation 
of  these  we  know  only  approximately.  Atticus,  the  friend 
of  Cicero,  had  a house  in  this  region. 

“After  you  cross  the  Ilissus  there  is  a place  called  Agrae, 
and  a temple  of  Huntress  Artemis  (Agrotera).  Here  Ar- 
temis is  said  to  have  hunted  for  the  first  time  on  coming 
from  Delos ; for  this  reason  her  statue  holds  a bow.”  The 
point  where  Pausanias  crossed  the  river  must  be  just  south 
of  the  place  where  we  have  located  the  Lyceum,  and  Agrae, 
or  Agra,  included  an  extensive  district  beside  the  left  bank 
of  the  stream.  The  temple  of  Huntress  Artemis  was  a 
famous  one;  here  was  made  the  annual  sacrifice  of  five 
hundred  she-goats  in  memory  of  the  battle  of  Marathon, 
these  being  in  lieu  of  the  single  sacrifice,  vowed  by  the 
Athenians,  of  as  many  goats  as  were  slain  of  their  foes, 
since  the  number  proved  too  great  for  the  vow  to  be  paid 
literally.  The  annual  sacrifice  was  still  in  vogue  in  the 
first  century  after  Christ,  as  we  learn  from  Plutarch. 

Another  important  sanctuary  in  Agrae  was  that  of 
Demeter,  where  the  lesser  mysteries  were  celebrated  every 
spring,  before  the  greater  mysteries  at  Eleusis.  Probably 
the  sanctuary  had  a temple,  but  none  is  mentioned.  Some- 
where in  Agrae  there  was  also  a temple  of  Eileithyia. 

“Not  equally  attractive  to  hear  about  but  wonderful 
to  behold  is  a Stadium  of  white  marble.  Its  size  may  be 
realized  best  in  this  way : a mountain  beginning  above  the 
Ilissus  in  crescent-shape  runs  straight  down  in  two  spurs 


SOUTHEAST  ATHENS 


175 


to  the  bank  of  the  river.  This  structure  was  built  by  the 
Athenian  Herodes,  and  in  its  construction  most  of  the 
marble  of  his  quarries  on  Pentelicus  was  exhausted.” 

The  ground  for  the  Stadium  was  donated  by  a certain 
Deinias,  and  the  Stadium  was  laid  out  under  the  direction 
of  the  orator  Lycurgus.  As  Pausanias  notes,  the  contour  of 
the  land  was  favorable  for  the  purpose,  and  an  artificial 
embankment  was  necessary  only  at  the  rounded  end ; 
but  the  excavation  was  extensive  and  an  inscription  is 
extant  recording  the  thanks  of  the  state  to  a man  named 
Eudemus  for  furnishing  a thousand  oxen  “for  the  making 
of  the  Stadium  and  the  Panathenaic  theater.”  This  early 
Stadium  had  no  seats,  and  the  spectators  were  ranged 
along  the  sloping  banks,  as  always  at  Olympia.  About 
140  a.d.  Herodes  Atticus,  who  had  received  a crown  at  the 
Great  Panathenaea,  publicly  promised  that  before  the  next 
festival  the  Stadium  should  be  seated  in  white  marble. 
He  kept  his  word,  “and  produced  a work,”  says  Philos- 
tratus  (Vit.  soph}  2,  1,  5),  “beyond  all  the  wonders;  no 
theater  vies  with  it.” 

The  total  length  of  the  Stadium  (Fig.  95)  was  about  770 
feet ; the  space  inclosed  was  about  a hundred  feet  shorter 
and  109  feet  wide,  but  the  course  proper  was  600  Greek 
feet  long  and  was  marked  by  four  double  herms,  which  have 
been  recovered ; two  of  them  have  been  reerected  in  the 
Stadium  (Fig.  96).  A marble  parapet  separated  the  course 
from  the  spectators,  of  whom  more  than  50,000  could  be 
seated.  Behind  this  parapet  ran  a broad  corridor ; another 
ran  along  inside  of  the  parapet  at  the  top;  and  a third 
divided  the  fifty  or  more  zones  of  seats  horizontally  at  about 
the  middle  of  the  slope.  Vertically  the  seats  were  sepa- 
rated into  sections  by  stairways,  twelve  on  each  of  the 
straight  sides  and  seven  on  the  curved  end.  The  main 


Fig.  95.  — Stadium,  reconstructed. 


SOUTHEAST  ATHENS 


T77 


entrance  appears  to  have  been  adorned  with  a stoa,  the 
rear  of  the  curved  end  by  another.  At  the  southern  ex- 
tremity of  the  curve  a tunnel  enters  from  the  rear.  This 
may  have  been  made  in  the  time  of  Hadrian  to  admit  the 
wild  beasts  for  the  emperor’s  “ hunts,”  in  one  of  which  a 


Fig.  96.  — View  across  the  Stadium,  showing  herms  and  the  tunnel. 


thousand  animals  were  slain.  A metal  paling  on  the  top 
of  the  lower  parapet  may  date  from  the  same  period. 

A modern  Herodes  has  been  found  in  the  person  of  the 
late  M.  Averoff,  of  Alexandria,  through  whose  bequest  the 
Stadium  has  been  magnificently  reseated  in  Pentelic  marble. 
The  ancient  design  of  Herodes,  as  revealed  by  the  excava- 
tions made  in  1869-1870  at  the  expense  of  King  George, 
has  been  followed  as  closely  as  possible,  and  the  Stadium  is 
again  worthy  of  Philostratus’s  praise.  The  new  structure 
is  devoted  to  modern  “ Olympic  games”  and  to  various 
large  assemblages. 

Herodes  is  said  to  have  been  buried  “in  the  Stadium;” 
some  have  conjectured,  without  much  reason,  that  the 
ruins  on  the  hill  to  the  east  of  the  Stadium  belong  to  his 


N 


i78 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


tomb.  The  higher  hill  to  the  west  is  probably  the  ancient 
Ardettus,  earlier  called  Helicon ; on  its  summit  are  ruins, 
perhaps  of  the  temple  of  Fortune  erected  by  Herodes. 

A little  west  of  Ardettus  is  the  ruined  foundation  of  a 
small  temple.  Much  of  the  building  was  standing  and 
used  as  the  church  of  “Our  Lady  of  the  Rock”  until  the 
end  of  the  eighteenth  century,  when  the  Turks  destroyed  it. 
Fortunately  it  had  been  visited  a little  earlier  by  Stuart 
and  Revett  (p.  4),  and  we  know  it  from  their  drawings 
(Fig.  97).  The  temple  was  small  and  of  the  Ionic  order,  of 


Fig.  97.  — Ionic  temple  on  the  Ilissus.  From  a drawing  by  Stuart  and 

Revett. 

exceeding  delicacy  and  perfection.  We  do  not  know  to 
what  divinity  it  was  originally  dedicated. 

Various  other  ruins  are  found  in  this  vicinity.  Quite 
recently  a rude  shrine  of  the  god  Pan  was  discovered  in 
this  vicinity,  near  the  church  of  St.  Photini,  and  has  been 


SOUTHEAST  ATHENS 


179 


linked  by  the  finder  with  the  idyllic  scene  at  the  beginning 
of  Plato’s  Phaedrus.  Especially  noteworthy  is  a large 
foundation  some  distance  west  of  the  Ionic  temple;  this 
some  have  associated  with  the  gymnasium  of  Cynosarges 
(but  see  p.  172).  In  front  of  the  Stadium  the  Ilissus  is  now 
crossed  by  a bridge  which  has  replaced  one  built  by  Herodes 
Atticus. 

Before  leaving  Southeast  Athens  we  must  notice  also 
various  Roman  buildings  of  which  considerable  ruins  are 
left.  Among  these  are  baths  just  north  of  the  Olympieum, 
and  a villa  across  the  modern  street  from  the  baths.  Larger 
baths  lay  in  front  of  the  Zappeion,  and  other  Roman  build- 
ings in  the  palace  gardens.  Several  of  these  have  interest- 
ing mosaic  floors. 


CHAPTER  VII 


The  South  Slope  of  the  Acropolis 

We  again  start  from  the  Prytaneum,  whence  we  set  out 
to  visit  Southeast  Athens  (p.  159).  “Now  a street  leads 
from  the  Prytaneum  called  Tripods.  The  place  gets  its 
name  from  certain  temples  of  suitable  size  for  the  purpose, 
on  which  stand  tripods.  These  are  of  bronze  and  include 
works  of  art  well  worthy  of  note;  for  here  is  a Satyr  in 
which  Praxiteles  is  said  to  have  taken  much  pride.”  At 
the  southeast  foot  of  the  Acropolis  the  course  of  this  street 
is  definitely  determined  by  the  well-preserved  choregic 
Monument  of  Lysicrates  and  the  foundations  of  several 
more  of  these  diminutive  “temples.”  On  the  east  side  of 
the  architrave  of  the  monument  is  the  dedicatory  inscrip- 
tion, which  undoubtedly  faced  the  street  called  Tripods. 
The  earlier  course  from  the  Prytaneum  is  uncertain,  though 
it  must  have  followed  close  to  the  foot  of  the  Acropolis; 
and  from  the  Monument  of  Lysicrates  it  turned  west  to  the 
theater.  The  street  was  a famous  one,  and,  at  least  in  the 
time  of  Demetrius  of  Phalerum,  it  was  a favorite  lounging 
place. 

The  Monument  of  Lysicrates  (Fig.  98)  was  designed  to 
support  the  tripod  which  he  dedicated  in  honor  of  his 
victory  in  335/4  b.c.,  with  a dithyrambic  chorus.  The 
inscription  reads:  “Lysicrates  son  of  Lysitheides  of  Cicynna 
was  choregus ; the  tribe  Acamantis  won  with  a chorus  of 
boys;  Theon  played  the  flute;  Lysiades  the  Athenian 
taught  the  chorus;  Evaenetus  was  archon.” 

180 


THE  SOUTH  SLOPE  OF  THE  ACROPOLIS  181 


This  little  building  is  not  only  the  oldest  specimen  in 
Athens  of  the  Corinthian  order  of  architecture,  but  also 
among  the  most  charming  examples  of  Greek  art.  It  is 
composed  of  a podium  of  poros  about  13  feet  high  and  9.5 
feet  square,  with  a cornice  of  Hymettian  marble;  and  on 


Fig.  98.  — Choregic  Monument  of  Lysicrates. 


this  is  the  round  shrine  of  Pentelic  marble  about  20  feet 
high  and  a little  more  than  7 feet  in  diameter.  Upon  three 
steps,  the  upper  one  modeled,  stand  six  fluted  columns, 
whose  intercolumniations  are  closed  by  curved  marble 
slabs,  making  the  interior  inaccessible ; several  of  the  slabs 
now  in  place  are  restorations.  Above  the  columns  are  the 
inscribed  architrave  and  sculptured  frieze,  surmounted  by 
a cornice  and  conical  roof.  All  the  portion  above  the  col- 
umns except  the  cornice  is  cut  from  a single  block  of  marble, 
including  the  acanthus  scrolls  and  the  three-armed  finial, 
which  bore  the  tripod.  The  frieze,  10  inches  high,  depicts 


182 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


the  punishment  of  the  pirates  who  attempted  to  do  violence 
to  Dionysus  and  who  are  being  turned  into  dolphins  (Fig. 
99) ; possibly  this  was  the  theme  sung  by  Lysicrates’s 
chorus.  The  story  is  told  in  the  Homeric  hymn  to  Diony- 
sus, and  was  a familiar  theme  in  poetry. 


Fig.  99. — Section  of  the  frieze  of  the  Monument  of  Lysicrates,  portraying 
the  pirates  transformed  into  dolphins  by  Dionysus. 

The  Monument  of  Lysicrates  was  preserved  to  modern 
times  by  being  built  into  a Capuchin  convent,  burned  in 
1821.  It  is  now  popularly  called  the  “ Lantern  of  Diog- 
enes.” Formerly  this  name  was  given  a similar  monument, 
of  which  only  a portion  of  the  base  remains,  and  the  monu- 
ment before  us  was  called  the  “ Lantern  of  Demosthenes,” 
the  foolish  tale  being  added  that  Demosthenes  used  it  for 
his  study.  Lord  Byron  is  said  to  have  written  in  the  build- 
ing, one  side  of  which  then  opened  into  the  convent  (Fig. 
100). 

A little  to  the  north  are  the  fragmentary  foundations  of 
two  similar  structures,  one  near  the  Monument  of  Lysi- 
crates and  in  the  open,  another  in  the  cellar  of  a house. 
Remains  of  two  others  have  been  found  farther  west,  near 
the  theater. 

The  legs  of  the  tripods  on  these  diminutive  shrines  seem 
to  have  inclosed  the  statues  of  which  Pausanias  speaks. 
The  Satyr  of  Praxiteles  cannot  surely  be  identified  with 
existing  copies.  It  may  be  the  same  as  one  called  by  Pliny 
{Nat.  hist.  34,  69)  the  Periboetus,  or  Renowned.  Replicas 


THE  SOUTH  SLOPE  OF  THE  ACROPOLIS  183 


Fig.  ioo.  — Monument  of  Lysicrates  built  into  the  “ Hospitium  of  the  Capuchins.”  From  a drawing  by 

Stuart  and  Revett. 


184 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


of  a superb  Praxitelean  Satyr  are  found  in  various  European 
museums.  The  copy  in  the  Capitoline  Museum  at  Rome 
is  the  most  familiar  to  us  through  Hawthorne’s  Marble 

Faun  (Fig.  101) ; pos- 
sibly it  reproduces  the 
type  here  represented. 
A torso  even  more  ex- 
quisite is  in  the  Louvre. 
In  this  connection  Pau- 
sanias  repeats  an  anec- 
dote : “ They  say  that 
Phryne  once  asked  Prax- 
iteles what  was  his  finest 
work.  He  agreed,  they 
say,  to  give  it  to 
her,  but  refused  to  state 
his  choice ; whereupon 
Phryne  had  one  of  her 
servants  run  in  and  tell 
Praxiteles  that  his  stu- 
dio was  on  fire  and  the 
majority  of  his  works 
had  perished,  but  not  all.  Praxiteles  started  at  once  to 
run  from  the  door,  crying  that  nothing  was  left  for  all 
his  toil  if  the  flames  had  reached  the  Satyr  and  the  Eros. 
Phryne  bade  him  stay  and  be  of  good  cheer ; that  no  mis- 
fortune had  happened,  but  that  this  was  a ruse  to  make 
him  confess  what  were  his  best  works.  So  Phryne  chose 
the  Eros.” 

About  a block  east  of  the  Monument  of  Lysicrates  in 
front  of  a church  of  St.  Catherine  are  columns  and  other 
remains  which,  as  recent  excavations  have  shown,  belong 
to  an  Ionic  stoa  of  Roman  times. 


Fig.  ioi.  — Satyr  of  Praxiteles  — the 
“Marble  Faun”  (Capitoline  Mu- 
seum, Rome). 


THE  SOUTH  SLOPE  OF  THE  ACROPOLIS  185 


Of  the  next  site  which  Pausanias  mentions  we  have  no 
definite  knowledge.  “In  the  temple  near  by  is  a youthful 
Satyr  who  is  giving  a drink  to  Dionysus;  the  Eros  and 
Dionysus  standing  in  the  same  place  are  the  work  of  Thy- 
milus.”  Various  conjectures  have  been  made  as  to  these 


Fig.  102.  — Dionysus  and  Satyr,  by  Praxiteles,  restored. 


statues.  The  most  plausible  for  the  first  group  is  the  union 
of  two  familiar  types  (Fig.  102),  and  the  view  that  these 
figures  too  were  the  work  of  Praxiteles. 

Following  the  street  of  Tripods  to  the  west,  we  come  to 
the  precinct  of  Dionysus  (Fig.  103)  and  the  great  Dionysiac 
theater.  “The  oldest  sanctuary  of  Dionysus  is  near  the 
theater ; in  the  inclosure  are  two  temples  and  two  statues 
of  Dionysus,  the  Eleutherian  and  the  one  that  Alcamenes 
made  of  ivory  and  gold.  Here  too  are  paintings  : Dionysus 
conducting  Hephaestus  up  to  heaven  — Now  the  Greeks 


0 5 10m 


Fig.  103.  — Plan  of  the  precinct  of  Dionysus,  and  the  Dionysiac  theater, 

restored. 


THE  SOUTH  SLOPE  OF  THE  ACROPOLIS  187 


say  also  that  Hera  cast  Hephaestus  out  at  his  birth,  and 
that  in  revenge  he  sent  her  as  a gift  a chair  of  gold  with 
invisible  bonds,  and  when  she  sat  down  in  it  she  was  caught ; 
no  one  else  of  the  gods  could  prevail  on  Hephaestus,  but 
Dionysus,  who  had  exchanged  many  pledges  with  him, 
got  him  drunk  and  led  him  back  to  heaven  [Fig.  104]  — - 


Fig.  104.  — Hephaestus  conducted  back  to  Olympus  by  Dionysus ; vase 

painting. 


Well,  this  painting  is  there,  and  Pentheus  and  Lycurgus 
paying  the  penalty  for  their  insolence  to  Dionysus ; and 
also  Ariadne  asleep,  with  Theseus  setting  sail  and  Dionysus 
coming  to  steal  her  away”  [Fig.  105]. 

The  boundary  wall  of  the  Dionysium  can  in  part  be  traced, 
and  the  foundations  of  the  two  temples  are  still  extant 
(Fig.  106).  The  foundation  of  the  older  temple  crowds 
against  the  west  end  of  the  stoa  of  the  theater.  A part 
of  the  north  wall  and  small  portions  of  the  rear  and  cross- 
walls, together  with  a few  fragments  of  the  columns,  frieze, 


i88 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


and  pediment,  are  all  that  remain.  The  material  of  the 
foundation,  Acropolis  and  Kara  limestones,  and  the  Z- 
shaped  cramps  (p.  io)  with  which  the  blocks  are  united, 
are  indicative  of  construction  before  the  Persian  Wars, 
perhaps  in  the  time  of  Peisistratus.  We  have  seen  that  the 


Fig.  105  a. — Theseus  deserting  Ariadne;  Pompeian  wall  painting. 

The  theme  of  the  picture  described  by  Pausanias  is  divided  into  two  parts  in  the  Pompeian 
wall  paintings  given  in  this  and  the  accompanying  figure. 

Dionysium  in  the  Marshes  (p.  86)  is  of  a still  earlier  date ; 
but  this  had  perished  and  had  been  covered  up  before  the 
days  of  Pausanias ; so  his  statement  that  here  was  the  oldest 
precinct  of  Dionysus  was  correct  for  his  time. 

This  temple  is  to  be  restored  with  two  columns  between 
pilasters  (distyle  in  antis).  It  had  a square  cella  and  a 


THE  SOUTH  SLOPE  OF  THE  ACROPOLIS  189 


porch,  and  was  about  44  feet  long  by  26  feet  wide.  In  the 
cella  must  have  stood  the  ancient  xoanon,  or  wooden  statue, 
of  Dionysus,  which  was  brought  from  Eleutherae  (p.  81). 

A few  yards  to  the  south  is  the  second  temple ; nothing 
but  the  foundation,  of  breccia,  is  left.  This  building  prob- 


Fig.  105 b.  — Dionysus  coming  to  the  rescue  of  Ariadne;  Pompeian  wall 

painting. 


ably  dates  from  the  end  of  the  fifth  century  b.c.,  and  may 
be  the  offering  of  the  famous  general  Nicias,  who  died  in 
the  ill-starred  expedition  to  Sicily  in  413  b.c.  The  temple 
was  about  72  feet  long  by  30  feet  wide;  its  open  portico 
in  front  was  a little  wider  than  the  rest  of  the  temple  and 
surrounded  on  three  sides  by  columns  and  steps.  The  base 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


190 

of  the  gold  and  ivory  statue  by  Alcamenes  is  still  partly 
preserved.  A few  yards  southeast  of  the  temple  is  the 
foundation  of  what  appears  to  have  been  a large  altar. 

We  do  not  know  where  the  pictures  mentioned  by  Pau- 
sanias  were  painted.  They  may  have  been  in  the  new 


Fig.  106.  — Foundations  of  the  temples  of  Dionysus. 

The  foundation  of  the  earlier  temple  is  in  the  foreground;  that  of  the  later  temple  is  a 
little  beyond  it. 

temple ; or  they  may  have  been  on  the  rear  wall  of  the  long 
stoa  back  of  the  theater. 

Pausanias  barely  mentions  the  theater;  to  him  it  was 
merely  one  of  scores  with  which  he  was  familiar,  but  to  us 
it  is  of  the  deepest  interest  from  its  association  with  the 
great  Attic  dramatists.  The  literary  evidence  respecting 
it  is  so  scanty,  and  time  has  dealt  so  harshly  with  the  struc- 
ture itself,  that  its  tangled  history  is  difficult  to  unravel, 
and  many  questions  are  still  in  dispute ; a brief  sketch 
must  therefore  assume  much  that  is  not  fully  settled. 
Three  main  periods  are  reasonably  distinct ; besides  these 
are  various  minor  periods  of  repair  or  alteration.  The 
principal  epochs  are:  (1)  the  earliest  theater  of  the  late 
sixth  or  beginning  of  the  fifth  century  b.c.,  to  which  some- 
what later  was  added  a stone  theatron,  or  auditorium ; 


THE  SOUTH  SLOPE  OF  THE  ACROPOLIS  191 


(2)  the  stone  theater  of  Lycurgus  near  the  end  of  the  fourth 
century,  which  was  partially  rebuilt  a generation  or  so  later, 
that  is,  in  Hellenistic  times ; (3)  the  transformation  of  the 
Greek  into  a Roman  theater,  probably  first  in  the  time  of 
Nero  and  afterwards  in  the  time  of  Hadrian  and  later, 
including  the  rebuilding  of  the  stage  by  a certain  Phaedrus 
in  the  third  or  fourth  century  after  Christ. 


Fig.  107.  — Scene-buildings  and  orchestra  of  the  Dionysiac  theater. 


The  larger  circle  is  that  of  the  orchestra  of  the  fifth  century ; the  only  portions  of  this 
orchestra  remaining  are  the  bits  of  wall  marked  Q and  R in  the  drawing,  and  the 
bedding  in  the  rock  in  the  east  parodos. 

At  what  date  the  first  theater  was  built  we  do  not  know. 
As  early  as  534  b.c.  Thespis  brought  out  the  first  tragedy 
at  the  City  Dionysia,  perhaps  in  this  place.  Unfortunately 
only  a fragment  of  the  earliest  theater  is  left.  Two  pieces 
of  curved  wall,  and  a cutting  in  the  rock  in  the  east 
entrance  (Fig.  107),  enable  us  to  reconstruct  the  circle  of  the 
orchestra,  which  was  about  79  feet  in  diameter.  No  traces 
of  stage-buildings  survive.  We  recall  that  plays  were 
first  performed  in  front  of  the  booth  or  tent  (skene,  scaena) 
which  served  as  green  room,  and  we  may  assume  that  in 
the  early  theater  nothing  more  substantial  than  a wooden 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


192 

building  was  constructed  for  this  purpose.  The  situation 
of  the  orchestra,  or  dancing-floor,  was  designedly  chosen 
near  the  front  of  the  old  temple  of  Dionysus,  in  whose  honor 
the  plays  were  produced.  The  adjacent  slope  of  the 
Acropolis  made  a convenient  place  for  the  spectators,  who  at 
first  stood  or  sat  on  the  ground ; later  they  sat  on  wooden 
seats.  Our  extant  literature  does  not  distinguish  these 
periods,  but  we  cannot  be  far  astray. 

In  the  seventieth  Olympiad  (500-497  b.c.),  during  a 
dramatic  contest  of  Choerilus,  Pratinas,  and  Aeschylus, 
the  wooden  scaffolding  of  the  seats  is  said  to  have  col- 
lapsed, and  thereafter  the  first  stone  theater  is  said  to  have 
been  built.  Whether  this  accident  took  place  by  the  Old 
Orchestra  of  the  Agora,  or  here  on  the  side  of  the  Acropolis, 
is  a moot  point.  If  the  latter,  as  on  the  whole  seems  more 
likely,  the  construction  then  undertaken  must  have  been 
the  erection  of  a stone  auditorium,  or  theatron  (view-place) 
proper,  in  place  of  what  had  previously  been  in  use.  Not- 
withstanding the  tradition  as  to  the  accident,  some  scholars 
deny  the  existence  of  a stone  theatron  in  this  period ; but 
their  contention  fails  to  account  for  surviving  portions  of 
supporting  walls  lying  in  the  parodoi,  or  entrances,  of  the 
present  theater,  an  inscribed  block  apparently  coming 
from  one  of  the  seats,  and  some  few  stones  of  a foundation 
in  the  upper  part  of  the  auditorium.  At  any  rate,  in  this 
simple  theater  were  enacted  most  of  the  plays  of  Aeschy- 
lus, Sophocles,  Euripides,  Aristophanes,  and  their  contem- 
poraries. 

The  theater  is  named  among  the  works  “half-done” 
which  Lycurgus  is  said  to  have  completed.  The  excavation 
for  the  building  seems  to  have  been  in  progress,  or  just 
finished,  about  330  b.c.  (p.  39),  and  as  Lycurgus  died  in 
325  b.c.,  the  theater  must  have  been  built  near  the  end  of 


THE  SOUTH  SLOPE  OF  THE  ACROPOLIS 


193 


his  life.  His  work  amounted  to  a complete  reconstruction 
(Fig.  108).  A new  orchestra  was  laid  out  farther  north 
than  the  old  one,  but  circular,  as  before,  and  about  64  feet 
in  diameter.  Its  surface  was  of  beaten  earth,  unpaved, 
and  in  the  center  was  the  thymele,  or  altar  of  Dionysus. 


Fig.  10S.  — Theater  and  precinct  of  Dionysus,  as  seen  from  the  Acropolis. 


Running  around  the  orchestra  and  issuing  at  the  southeast 
corner  was  a drain,  crossed  by  slabs  opposite  the  stairways 
of  the  auditorium. 

The  auditorium  was  horseshoe-shaped.  At  the  top  the 
rock  was  scarped  down  to  receive  the  upper  seats ; the  rest 
of  the  circuit  was  surrounded  by  massive  walls  of  poros  and 
breccia;  on  the  west  side,  where  the  height  was  greatest, 
were  double  walls  connected  and  strengthened  by  but- 
tresses and  cross-walls. 

The  seats  were  made  of  poros  and  were  laid  out  in  three 


o 


194 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


zones,  the  two  lower  zones  containing  each  about 
thirty-two  rows,  the  highest  zone  probably  fourteen.  The 
zones  were  separated  horizontally  by  belts  (diazomata), 
or  aisles.  The  upper  aisle  served  also  as  a section  of  a 
roadway  along  the  slope ; the  situation  of  the  central  aisle 
is  not  certain.  About  the  orchestra  and  a little  above  it 
is  another  aisle  widened  at  the  ends  so  as  to  accommodate 
better  the  incoming  or  outgoing  crowds. 

In  each  of  the  three  zones  the  seats  were  divided  verti- 
cally by  stairways  into  wedge-shaped  sections.  The  extant 
seats  belong  to  the  lower  zone,  which  had  thirteen  wedges 
and  fourteen  stairways,  two  stairways  adjoining  the  south- 
ern walls.  Probably  the  upper  zones  had  two  wedges  cor- 
responding with  each  single  wedge  below,  such  being  the 
rule  recorded  by  Vitruvius.  The  profile  of  the  seats  shows 
a depression  along  the  back  and  a hollow  beneath  the  front 

edge  (Fig.  109) ; this  de- 
vice afforded  room  for 
the  feet  of  the  specta- 
tors and  decreased  the 
total  height  of  the 
theater. 

The  seats  of  the  front 
row,  sixty-seven  in  all, 
were  of  Pentelic  marble 
and  had  curved  backs 
(Fig.  no).  These  were  the  seats  of  honor  for  local  and 
foreign  dignitaries  who  had  been  granted  right  of  proedria, 
or  front-sittings.  In  later  times  the  titles  of  priests  and 
officers  who  had  a claim  to  seats  were  inscribed  below  the 
front  edge,  earlier  titles  sometimes  being  erased;  whether 
carved  or  painted  inscriptions  were  used  in  the  time  of 
Lycurgus,  we  cannot  tell.  The  central  throne  (Fig.  m) 


Fig.  109.  — Section  through  canal,  cor- 
ridor, and  staircase  of  the  theater. 


THE  SOUTH  SLOPE  OF  THE  ACROPOLIS  195 


Fig.  iio.  — Dionysiac  theater,  from  the  east. 

In  the  background,  at  the  left,  is  the  Hill  of  the  Muses,  surmounted  by  the  monument  of  Philopappus. 


196 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


bears  the  inscription  “Of  the  priest  of  Dionysus  Eleuthe- 
reus.”  This  seat  is  larger  than  the  rest  and  has  arms  and 
carved  legs  which  end  in  lion’s  paws.  Its  back  is  adorned 

with  the  figures  of  two 
Satyrs  in  low  relief ; on  the 
outside  of  each  arm  is  a 
winged  youth  setting  down 
a gamecock;  and  the  band 
below  the  seat  has  an  her- 
aldic design  of  Orientals 
fighting  with  winged  lions. 
Sockets  in  the  floor  indicate 
that  this  seat  was  covered 
by  an  awning. 

If  we  allow  about  sixteen 
inches  for  each  spectator, 
the  entire  capacity  of  the 
auditorium  may  be  esti- 
mated at  14,000.  Certain 
marks  on  the  edges  of  the 
seats  (about  13.5  inches 
apart)  have  led  some  schol- 
ars, however,  to  estimate 
the  total  capacity  at  17,000 ; 
and  Plato  tells  us  (. Sympos . 
4,  175E)  that  the  skill  of 
Agathon  was  admired  by  “more  than  30,000  witnesses,” 
apparently  referring  to  the  crowd  that  listened  to  one  of 
Agathon’s  plays.  The  occupant  of  any  seat  might,  of  course, 
supply  a cushion,  if  he  wished. 

On  the  side  of  the  orchestra  opposite  the  auditorium  was 
the  scene-building  (skene)  separated  from  the  theatron  by 
parodoi,  or  side  passages  (Fig.  103).  Little  more  of  the 


Fig.  hi.  — Seat  of  honor  for  the 
priest  of  Dionysus  Eleuthereus. 

At  either  side  are  portions  of  other  seats  of 
honor.  Behind  these  are  seats  inserted 
in  later  times,  after  having  been  removed 
from  their  regular  places  in  the  front  row. 
The  inscribed  block  at  the  left  of  the  seats 
last  mentioned  is  the  base  of  a statue  of 
Hadrian. 


THE  SOUTH  SLOPE  OF  THE  ACROPOLIS 


197 


scene-building  than  the  foundations,  mostly  of  breccia  and 
poros,  survive,  and  their  restoration  involves  a score  of 
problems  for  which  as  yet  no  solution  has  been  generally 
accepted.  This  is  not  the  place  even  to  summarize  the 
discussion  which  has  raged  for  a generation  between  the 
adherents  of  the  old  theory,  who  maintain  that  the  plays 
of  the  best  period  were  acted  on  a stage  10  or  12  feet 
in  height,  and  those  who  think  that  the  actors  performed 
in  front  of  a proscenium  and  on  a level  with  the  chorus  in 
the  orchestra.  Suffice  it  here  to  express  agreement  with 
the  view  that  in  this  period  the  theater  of  Dionysus  had  no 
stage ; no  one  doubts  that  there  was  a stage  in  some  Greek 
theaters  in  Asia  Minor,  and  in  all  Roman  theaters. 

The  facade  of  the  scene-building  seems  to  have  been  a 
wall  some  12  or  13  feet  high,  either  closely  fronted  by 
a row  of  columns,  or  with  this  colonnade  a few  feet  in 
advance  of  the  wall.  This  was  the  proscenium ; though 
perhaps  the  proscenium  proper  was  constructed  of  wood, 
in  front  of  the  colonnade,  in  different  forms  to  meet  the 
demands  of  the  individual  plays.  Flanking  the  proscenium 
were  the  projecting  parascenia,  or  wings.  These  were 
similarly  supplied  with  columns,  a few  of  which  remain  in 
situ  in  a later  reconstruction  (p.  198).  The  length  of  the 
proscenium  was  about  66  feet ; the  parascenia  were 
about  23  feet  wide.  The  intercolumniations  of  the 
columns  might,  upon  occasion,  be  closed  with  wooden 
panels.  The  facade  was  pierced  by  three  doors,  which  led 
into  the  large  room,  or  rooms,  of  the  scene-building  (152.5 
by  21  feet),  the  successor,  in  stone,  of  the  original  wooden 
booth.  The  flat  roof  of  this  building,  flush  with  the  cor- 
nice over  the  front  columns,  served  as  a place  for  the 
appearance  of  gods  (theologeion),  if  the  play  demanded 
the  representation  of  gods.  A heavy  base  of  stone  at  the 


198 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


back  of  the  central  room  is  unexplained ; it  may  have 
supported  certain  machinery,  or  possibly  only  a flight  of 
steps. 

Behind  the  scene-building,  and  forming  a part  of  it,  was 
a stoa  nearly  200  feet  long,  fronted  by  a Doric  colonnade. 
Its  west  end,  where  it  abutted  on  the  old  temple,  was 
probably  made  into  a closed  room  (Fig.  103).  This  stoa 
is  referred  to  by  Vitruvius  as  one  of  the  shelters  for  specta- 
tors in  time  of  storm  (p.  213) 

In  Hellenistic  times  only  slight  changes  seem  to  have  been 
made  in  the  theater ; and  these  few  were  mainly  in  the 
scene-building.  One  view  is  that  the  first  stone  proscenium 
was  made  in  this  period,  the  former  one  being  of  wood.  At 
any  rate,  the  projection  of  the  parascenia  was  reduced,  and 
possibly  the  central  colonnade  between  the  parascenia  was 
advanced  toward  the  orchestra. 

The  history  of  the  theater  for  several  centuries  after  this 
is  almost  a blank.  Apparently  in  the  time  of  Nero  con- 
siderable reconstruction  was  undertaken.  The  orchestra, 
which  was  no  longer  needed  for  the  evolutions  of  a chorus, 
was  reduced  to  a nearly  semicircular  form  by  building  a 
regular  Roman  stage  between  the  inner  corners  of  the  paro- 
doi  (Fig.  107).  The  new  stage  was  probably  about  five 
feet  high  and  was  accessible  from  the  parodoi  and  from  the 
orchestra  by  steps.  The  scene-building  was  also  rebuilt 
to  form  a high  background,  which  was  adorned  with  en- 
gaged columns,  arches,  and  statuary,  and  the  interior  was 
rearranged  to  meet  the  new  conditions. 

About  this  time,  too,  the  marble  paving  of  the  orchestra 
was  laid,  and  a barrier  was  erected  about  it  to  protect  the 
spectators  when  gladiatorial  combats  were  presented. 
Indeed,  before  the  barrier  was  made,  wounded  gladiators 
— Shade  of  Aeschylus  ! — are  said  to  have  stained  with 


THE  SOUTH  SLOPE  OF  THE  ACROPOLIS  199 

their  blood  the  robes  of  the  priest  of  Dionysus,  sitting  on 
his  throne  of  honor. 

The  reign  of  Hadrian  marks  another  period  of  lesser 
alterations,  mainly  in  the  auditorium.  An  imperial  box 
was  built  blocking  the  lower  end  of  the  sixth  stairway  from 
the  east,  and  near  the  bottom  of  each  of  the  lower  wedges 
a statue  of  the  emperor  was  erected ; the  inscribed  bases 
of  several  of  these  still  exist  (one  is  visible  in  Fig.  hi). 
The  front  edge  of  the  lowest  row  of  regular  seats  was  hewn 
off  and  a row  of  wooden  seats  of  honor  built  behind  the 
marble  chairs  (cf.  Fig.  109).  Of  the  latter,  those  that  were 
removed  to  make  room  for  the  emperor’s  box,  and,  then  or 
later,  several  other  marble  chairs  of  different  design,  were 
set  up  in  various  places  throughout  the  lower  wedges. 


Fig.  1 1 2.  — Portion  of  the  front  of  the  stage  of  Phaedrus. 


At  the  end  of  the  third  or  beginning  of  the  fourth  century 
of  the  Christian  era  (the  exact  date  is  not  known)  a final 
reconstruction  was  given  to  the  stage  by  a certain  Phaedrus 
(Fig.  1 1 2),  whose  dedicatory  inscription  is  cut  on  the  top 
step  of  the  portion  remaining.  The  limping  elegiac  coup- 
let reads:  “For  thee,  Delighter  in  the  orgy,  Phaedrus  son 


200 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


of  Zoilus,  ruler  of  life-giving  Attica,  wrought  this  beautiful 
platform  of  the  theater.”  The  tasteless  patchwork  is  only 
interesting  from  the  misfit  Sileni,  which  Phaedrus  added 
from  some  other  building,  and  the  reliefs,  which  may  have 
belonged  to  the  stage  of  Nero.  The  first  relief  to  the  left 
has  been  thought  to  portray  the  birth  of  Dionysus;  the 
second,  a rural  sacrifice  to  the  god ; the  third  and  fourth 
his  welcome  to  the  Athenian  theater,  whose  situation  is 
suggested  by  the  columns  of  the  Parthenon  which  peep 
over  the  edge  of  the  Acropolis  (p.  58,  Fig.  25).  The  re- 
liefs have  been  cut  down  several  inches  at  the  top  to  fit 
the  “ beautiful  platform”  of  Phaedrus. 

The  theater  was  adorned  from  time  to  time  with  statues 
of  famous  men.  “The  Athenians,”  says  Pausanias,  “have 
in  the  theater  images  of  poets  of  tragedy  and  of  comedy, 
the  majority  being  of  poets  of  minor  importance ; for  of 
comic  poets  who  came  to  prominence  none  was  there  except 
Menander.  Of  the  famous  poets  of  tragedy,  there  are 
statues  of  Euripides  and  Sophocles.  . . . The  image  of 
Aeschylus  was  made,  I think,  long  after  his  death  and  long 
after  the  painting  of  the  Battle  at  Marathon”  (p.  127).  The 
inscribed  bases  of  the  statues  of  Menander  and  Aeschylus 
have  been  found.  From  other  sources  we  learn  of  several 
other  statues,  such  as  those  of  Philemon  and  Astydamas ; 
a part  of  the  base  of  the  statue  of  the  latter  is  in  situ  at  the 
corner  of  the  west  parodos.  In  the  parodoi  were  statues 
of  Miltiades  and  Themistocles,  each  with  a captured 
Persian. 

As  we  entered  the  precinct  of  Dionysus  from  the  street 
of  Tripods,  we  passed  a building  of  which  Pausanias  writes  : 
“Near  the  sanctuary  of  Dionysus  and  the  theater  is  a build- 
ing said  to  have  been  made  in  imitation  of  the  tent  of 
Xerxes  ; this  is  the  second  building,  for  the  first  was  burned 


THE  SOUTH  SLOPE  OF  THE  ACROPOLIS 


201 


by  the  Roman  general  Sulla,  when  he  captured  Athens” 
(p.  43).  This  is  the  Odeum  of  Pericles,  which,  we  are  told, 
was  originally  constructed  for  the  musical  contests  of  the 
great  Panathenaic  festival ; it  is  often  mentioned  as  the 
Odeum  of  Pericles.  Vitruvius  tells  us  that  it  was  roofed 
by  Themistocles,  but  probably  he  is  wrong.  Appian 
affirms  that  it  was  burned  by  Aristion,  not  Sulla ; it  was 
rebuilt  by  Ariobarzanes.  Plutarch  describes  it  (. Pericles 
13)  as  “many  seated  and  many  pillared”  and  says  that 
Cratinus,  the  comic  poet,  gibed  Pericles  for  having  a head 
shaped  like  the  Odeum.  Whether  or  not  it  was  meant 
to  imitate  the  tent  of  Xerxes,  the  Odeum  was  clearly  a 
round  building,  of  considerable  size,  with  a conical  roof. 

Vitruvius  helps  us  to  the  more  precise  identification  of 
the  site  of  the  Odeum  by  saying  (5,  9,  1)  that  it  was  “on 
the  left  as  one  goes  out  from  the  theater,”  evidently  as  one 
goes  out  toward  the  east.  It  was  higher  than  the  orchestra 
of  the  theater,  for  the  conspirators  planning  the  mutila- 
tion of  the  herms,  before  the  Sicilian  Expedition,  were  seen 
to  descend  from  it  to  the  orchestra.  This  area  east  of  the 
theater  has  not  been  excavated,  and  our  only  information 
regarding  the  Odeum  is  from  literary  sources. 

“Upon  the  South  Wall,  as  it  is  called,  of  the  Acropolis, 
facing  the  theater,  is  a gilded  head  of  the  Gorgon  Medusa, 
with  an  aegis  about  it.”  This  head  was  the  gift  of  Antio- 
chus  Epiphanes.  Just  below  where  the  head  was  fastened 
stand  two  isolated  Corinthian  columns  of  late  date  (Fig. 
1 13).  These  once  bore  tripods  and  were  doubtless  set  up 
in  honor  of  choregic  victories. 

Below  these  columns,  “At  the  summit  of  the  theater  is 
a cave  in  the  rocks  beneath  the  Acropolis ; upon  this  is  also 
a tripod.  In  [On  ?]  it  are  Apollo  and  Artemis  slaying  the 
children  of  Niobe.”  This  cave  is  about  30  feet  deep.  It 


202 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


is  now  dedicated  to  the  Virgin  of  the  Golden  Cave  (Panagia 
Chrysospiliotissa),  and  is  furnished  with  an  icon  and  a light, 
whose  glimmer  is  conspicuous  from  below  by  night  (Fig. 
1 13).  The  facade  which  adorned  the  front  when  Pau- 
sanias  saw  it  was  intact  in  the  time  of  the  English  travelers 


Fig.  1 13.  — Choregic  columns  and  the  cave  of  Thrasyllus  as  one  looks 
up  from  the  theater. 


Stuart  and  Revett  (p.  4) ; it  was  destroyed  during  the 
Greek  revolution.  On  Stuart  and  Revett’s  drawings  and 
studies  we  are  chiefly  dependent  for  our  knowledge  of  its 
construction  (Fig.  114) ; only  a few  broken  stones  now  re- 
main. The  fagade  was  about  25  feet  wide  and  22.3  feet 
high.  Above  two  steps  rose  three  Doric  pilasters,  which 
supported  an  architrave,  a frieze  adorned  with  garlands, 
and  a cornice,  all  of  white  marble.  On  these  rested  an 


THE  SOUTH  SLOPE  OF  THE  ACROPOLIS  203 

attic  of  bluish  marble,  consisting  of  two  bases  with  a flight 
of  three  steps  between ; the  top  step  was  once  surmounted 
by  a marble  statue  of  Dionysus  which  is  now  in  the  British 
Museum. 

Fragments  of  the  dedicatory  inscriptions  have  been 
found.  On  the  architrave  was  inscribed:  “Thrasyllus, 


Fig.  1 14. — Monument  of  Thrasyllus  at  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth 
century.  From  a drawing  by  Stuart  and  Revett. 

the  Decelean,  dedicated  this,  having  won  as  choregus  with 
the  men  of  the  tribe  Hippothoontis ; Evius  the  Chalcidian 
played  the  flute ; Neaechmus  was  archon ; Carcidamus  the 
Sotian  trained  the  chorus.”  On  the  western  base  of  the 
attic  was  inscribed:  “The  people  gave  the  chorus;  Py- 
tharatus  was  archon ; Thrasycles  son  of  Thrasyllus  the 
Decelean  was  referee  of  the  contest ; the  tribe  Hippothoon- 
tis  won  the  victory  of  boys ; Theon  the  Theban  played 


204 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


the  flute;  Pronomus  the  Theban  trained  the  chorus.” 
On  the  eastern  base  was  an  inscription  of  which  the  first 
half  was  identical  with  the  last,  and  the  remainder  read : 
“The  tribe  Pandionis  won  the  victory  of  men;  Nicocles 
the  Ambraciote  played  the  flute;  Lysippus  the  Arcadian 
trained  the  chorus.”  The  names  of  the  archons  show  that 
the  first  inscription  was  cut  in  320/319  b.c.  ; the  others,  in 
271/270  b.c.,  or  forty-nine  years  later.  Evidently  Thra- 
syllus’s  thrifty  son  used  his  father’s  choregic  monument 
to  record  his  own  victories.  The  heavy  attic,  not  quite 
centered  over  the  substructure,  must  have  been  added 
by  Thrasycles ; in  an  original  construction  Hymettian 
marble  was  rarely  placed  over  Pentelic.  Each  of  the 
bases  may  have  borne  one  of  his  tripods.  Thrasycles  may 
have  substituted  the  statue  for  the  tripod,  or  placed  it 
under  the  tripod,  of  his  father.  Pausanias’s  language 
leaves  it  uncertain  whether  the  slaying  of  the  Niobids 
was  a group  of  statues  within  the  cave,  or  a relief  on 
a tripod.  On  the  scarping  was  the  silvered  tripod  of 
Aeschraeus,  and  somewhere  near  was  a tripod  of  the 
orator  Andocides. 

Above  the  cave  on  the  brink  of  the  rock  still  lies  a sun- 
dial, which  is  probably  the  same  as  one  mentioned  by  an 
anonymous  writer  of  the  Middle  Ages. 

A hundred  paces  or  so  west  of  the  cave  are  slight  remains 
which  may  mark  the  position  of  the  tomb  of  Calos,  or  Talos ; 
of  this  Pausanias  says : “As  you  go  from  the  theater  to  the 
Acropolis  at  Athens,  Calos  is  buried.”  Calos,  the  story 
ran,  was  the  nephew  of  Daedalus,  who  threw  him  from  the 
Acropolis  in  jealousy  over  the  inventions  of  Calos,  the 
saw,  compasses,  and  the  potter’s  wheel.  Since  Pausanias 
next  mentions  the  Asclepieum,  the  tomb  of  Calos  must 
have  been  between  that  precinct  and  the  theater,  of  course 


THE  SOUTH  SLOPE  OF  THE  ACROPOLIS  205 


Fig.  1 15.  — Plan  of  the  Asclepieum. 


206 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


close  to  the  foot  of  the  hill.  A sanctuary  of  Perdix,  Calos’s 
mother,  was  near  the  grave. 

We  leave  the  theater  by  the  ramp  leading  down  between 
walls  of  breccia  from  the  upper  aisle  of  the  auditorium. 
Pausanias  merely  says:  “The  sanctuary  of  Asclepius  is 
worth  seeing  for  the  statues  which  have  been  made  of  the 
god  and  his  sons,  and  for  its  paintings.  A spring  also  is 
in  it.  . . . And  here  among  other  things  a Sauromatian 
cuirass  is  dedicated ; one  who  sees  it  will  say  that  the  Bar- 
barians are  no  less  clever  at  the  arts  than  the  Greeks.” 
This  would  guide  us  correctly  to  the  Asclepieum,  even  with- 
out the  reference  of  Marinus  ( Vita  Procli  29)  to  the  prox- 
imity of  the  house  of  Proclus  both  “to  the  Asclepieum  and 
to  the  theater  of  Dionysus.”  This  was  the  Asclepieum  “in 
the  city,”  as  distinguished  from  the  one  “in  Peiraeus” 
(p.  401).  The  excavations,  which  commenced  in  1876, 
have  revealed  the  entire  precinct  (Fig.  115). 

Limited  by  the  rock  of  the  Acropolis  and  the  theater 
on  the  north  and  east  respectively,  the  boundaries  of  the 
precinct  on  the  south  and  west  were  marked  by  polygonal 
walls,  though  the  original  extent  to  the  west  is  not  now  cer- 
tain. An  inscription  of  the  second  half  of  the  fifth  century 
b.c.  is  still  in  situ  toward  the  end  of  the  south  wall,  reading  : 
“boundary  of  the  spring.”  This  seems  to  indicate  an  older 
occupation  of  the  site,  for  we  know  from  other  inscriptions 
that  the  worship  of  Asclepius  and  Health  was  established 
here  in  420  b.c.,  having  been  brought  from  Epidaurus. 
If  one  of  these  inscriptions  is  interpreted  rightly,  the  new 
cult  made  its  way  at  first  against  opposition  and  was  main- 
tained at  the  private  expense  of  the  founder,  a certain 
Telemachus.  The  earliest  literary  reference  to  the  pre- 
cinct is  in  the  Plutus  of  Aristophanes,  which  was  first 
brought  out  in  408  b.c. 


THE  SOUTH  SLOPE  OF  THE  ACROPOLIS  207 


Fig.  116.  — East  end  of  the  Asclepieum. 

At  the  left  are  the  remains  of  the  east  stoa ; in  the  foreground  the  foundation  of  the 
temple.  In  the  rear  is  the  wall  of  the  theater. 


The  most  conspicuous  building  of  the  Asclepieum  is  the 
east  stoa  (Figs.  116,  117,  118),  which  evidently  served  as  a 
“dormitory”  for  patients  of  the  god  of  healing.  This 
building  was  about  162  feet  long  by  32  feet  deep,  and 


Fig.  1 1 7.  — Plan  of  the  east  stoa  of  the  Asclepieum,  restored. 


two  stories  high.  It  had  a pent  roof,  with  a hip  at 
each  end ; the  cuttings  for  the  upper  edge  of  the  roof  are 
visible  in  the  rock  at  the  back. 


208 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


The  foundation  for  the  lower  colonnade  in  front  (Fig. 
1 1 6)  is  of  poros  and  breccia,  and  on  this  rests  the  stylobate, 
of  Hymettian  marble  like  the  columns.  The  columns  were 
of  the  Doric  order,  fluted,  and  seventeen  in  number  between 


Fig.  118.  — South  elevation  of  the  east  stoa  of  the  Asclepieum,  restored. 

antae ; the  first  five  intercolumniations  to  the  west  and  the 
first  one  to  the  east  were  closed.  The  cornice  was  of  Pen- 
telic  marble.  Through  the  center  of  the  stoa  ran  a row  of 
six  columns,  probably  Ionic.  The  back  wall,  built  against 
the  rock,  was  of  poros,  with  a sort  of  wainscoting  of 
Hymettian  marble.  At  the  west  end  the  back  wall  comes 
forward  a little  beyond  the  line  of  the  central  columns,  and 

then  continues  to  the 
end  of  the  stoa.  In  the 
space  left  at  the  south- 
west corner,  behind  the 
closed  columns,  rose  the 
stairway  to  a square 
room  about  fifteen  feet 
higher  than  the  stylo- 
bate. In  the  center  of 
this  room  was  a pit, 
perhaps  for  the  sacred 
serpents  of  the  god.  The  pit  is  lined  with  a good  polyg- 
onal wall,  and  about  its  octagonal  mouth  are  the  bases 
of  four  columns  (Fig.  119). 


THE  SOUTH  SLOPE  OF  THE  ACROPOLIS 


209 


The  front  colonnade  of  the  second  story  was  of  smaller 
Doric  columns  of  Hymettian  marble ; the  cornice  was  of 
Pentelic.  Between  the  columns  probably  was  a balustrade. 
This  story  was  divided  by  partitions  or  by  a row  of  columns. 
Its  floor  was  higher  than  that  of  the  square  room. 

The  east  end  of  the  lower  story  was  cut  off  by  a wall 
directly  behind  the  first  column ; in  the  little  room  so  formed 


Fig.  120.  — East  stoa  of  the  Asclepieum,  from  the  east. 

The  columns  at  the  left  belong  to  a reconstruction.  At  the  right  is  the  door  into  the 
spring-house. 


was  probably  a stairway  to  the  second  floor ; a small  store- 
room, or  possibly  another  stairway,  was  at  the  other  end 
of  the  stoa.  In  the  back  wall  a doorway  opens  into  the 
rock- vaulted  chamber  of  the  spring  (Fig.  120).  This 
spring  still  affords  a scanty  stream  of  clear  but  brackish 
water  rising  at  the  middle  of  the  west  side,  running  about 
the  chamber,  and  issuing  from  a drain  through  the  doorway ; 


210 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


a parapet  of  slabs  stands  before  the  stream.  The  chamber 
is  now  used  as  a shrine  sacred  to  the  Virgin  (Fig.  121). 

The  material  and  workmanship  of  the  orginal  stoa  point 
to  the  fourth  century  b.c.  as  its  date ; but  it  has  undergone 

extensive  reconstructions. 
The  lower  colonnade  was 
replaced  in  Hellenistic  or 
Roman  times  by  slender 
columns,  which  were  more 
closely  spaced,  and  unfluted 
for  the  lower  third  of  their 
height  (Fig.  120).  In  the 
Byzantine  period  the  back 
wall  was  rebuilt,  the  en- 
trance to  the  spring  arched, 
and  a long  room  with  a 
barrel  vault  built  toward 
the  west  end  between  the  back  wall  and  the  curtained 
piers  that  replaced  the  central  row  of  columns. 

In  front  of  the  west  end  of  the  stoa  lies  the  foundation 
(Fig.  1 1 6)  of  a temple  of  Asclepius.  The  temple  was  re- 
peatedly rebuilt,  and  the  present  ruins  seem  to  date  from 
Hellenistic  or  Roman  times.  It  was  probably  a tetra- 
style  Doric  building,  some  35  by  20  feet  in  dimensions. 
Halfway  between  the  temple  and  the  east  wall  of  the 
precinct  is  a large  foundation,  which  apparently  belongs 
to  the  great  altar  mentioned  frequently  in  inscriptions. 

West  of  these  buildings,  and  on  a level  about  seven  feet 
higher,  is  a second  stoa  approximately  92  feet  long 
and  46  feet  wide  (cf.  Fig.  115).  The  southern  half 
of  this  building  was  a portico  fronted  by  twelve  Ionic 
columns.  At  the  rear  were  four  nearly  square  rooms,  which 
had  floors  of  pebble  mosaic.  This  stoa  seems  to  have  been 


Fig.  1 21.  — Modern  shrine  in  the 
cave  of  the  spring  of  the  Ascle- 
pieum. 


THE  SOUTH  SLOPE  OF  THE  ACROPOLIS 


21 1 


built  much  later  than  the  other.  It  is  usually  thought  to 
have  been  for  the  use  of  priests,  but  this  is  purely  conjec- 
tural ; it  may  have  been  a supplementary  dormitory. 

Between  the  second  stoa  and  the  west  boundary  wall  are 
foundations  of  two  small  buildings  in  the  form  of  temples 
but  facing  respectively  toward  the  southeast  and  south. 
Their  purpose  and  date  are  not  yet  known.  At  either 
side  of  these  are  two  immense  vaulted  cisterns  of  mediaeval 
times  ; near  one  of  them  an  old  spring  with  polygonal  walls. 

An  interesting  inscription  of  the  first  century  b.c.  tells, 
with  much  legal  repetition,  how  a certain  priest,  Diodes 
by  name,  reported  to  the  assembly  that  “the  doors  of  what 
was  the  former  entrance  into  the  sanctuary  were  in  ruins, 
likewise  the  back  roof  of  the  propylum,  and,  besides,  the 
temple  of  the  old  establishment  of  Asclepius  and  Health,” 
and  how  Diodes  was  granted  permission  to  repair  them  at 
his  own  expense.  The  inscription  also  uses  for  the  build- 
ings mentioned  the  terms,  “the  ancient  propylum,”  “the 
temple  opposite  the  entrance,”  and  “the  ancient  temple.” 
On  this  inscription  the  theory  has  been  based  that  the 
precinct  had  two  entrances ; this  seems  logical.  The 
further  inference,  that  there  were  two  temples,  an  older 
and  a younger,  seems  less  plausible.  No  foundation  of  an 
older  temple  has  been  found  in  the  area,  and  all  other  lit- 
erary references  point  rather  to  a single  temple.  As  we 
have  seen,  the  temple  in  front  of  the  west  stoa  has  been 
repeatedly  rebuilt. 

Pausanias  mentions  with  special  interest  the  Sauromatian 
corselet,  which  was  dedicated  in  the  Asclepieum.  This 
was  but  one  of  countless  votive  gifts  made  by  grateful 
patients.  The  usual  type  was  a plastic  counterpart,  in 
metal  or  stone,  of  the  member  healed,  hand,  foot,  ear,  or 
eye,  as  in  some  Christian  shrines  to-day.  Many  of  these 


212 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


votive  offerings  have  been  discovered  (Fig.  122),  and  others 
are  mentioned  in  the  inscriptions.  Some  worshipers  dedi- 
cated marble  reliefs  in  the  precinct 
(Fig.  123);  still  others  dedicated 
hymns  of  praise  or  prayer. 

The  most  conspicuous  ruins  on 
the  south  side  of  the  Acropolis  are 
those  of  the  Stoa  of  Eumenes  and 
the  Odeum  of  Herodes  Atticus.  The 
Stoa  Pausanias  passes  without  no- 
tice, as  he  did  the  Stoa  of  Attalus 
in  the  Agora  (pp.  130  ff.) ; the  Odeum 
was  not  yet  built  when  he  wrote  his 
description  of  Athens,  but  he  men- 
tions it  in  a later  book  (7,  20,  6). 

Beginning  some  thirty  feet  from 
the  theater,  the  Stoa  of  Eumenes 
extends  about  534  feet  west  to  the 
Odeum  and  is  58  feet  deep  (Fig. 
124).  The  extant  portions  are 
mainly  the  foundation  walls  of  the 
front  and  medial  colonnades,  and 
the  strong  rear  wall  which  served 
also  to  support  the  terrace  behind 
it.  This  rear  wall  is  really  com- 
posed of  three  walls : one  at  the 
back,  built  of  blocks  of  breccia;  a 
row  of  forty-two  arches  of  the  same 
material;  and  a facing  of  poros, 
with  a wainscoting  of  Hymettian 
marble.  The  arches,  which  are  now  so  conspicuous,  were 
merely  structural  and  were  originally  concealed.  Few  other 
remains  of  the  structure  survive.  The  building  was  two 


Fig.  122.  — Votive  offer- 
ings dedicated  in  the 
precinct  of  Asclepius 
(National  Museum, 
Athens) . 


THE  SOUTH  SLOPE  OF  THE  ACROPOLIS 


213 


stories  in  height,  with  front  colonnades  of  Doric  and  prob- 
ably inner  rows  of  Ionic  columns.  The  west  end  of  the 
building  shows  signs  of  having  been  cut  off  when  the  Odeum 
was  erected,  but  probably  only 
a small  portion  was  then  de- 
stroyed. At  the  southwest 
corner  are  the  square  founda- 
tions of  a stairway  which  led 
to  the  second  story  (Fig.  126). 

Our  evidence  for  the  name 
of  the  builder  and  for  the  date 
of  this  imposing  structure  is 
meager.  In  his  chapter  on 
the  theater  Vitruvius  advises 
(5,  9,  1)  that  behind  the  stage 
colonnades  be  built  for  refuge 
in  case  of  sudden  showers,  “as 
at  Athens  the  Eumenian  porticoes,  the  fane  of  father 
Bacchus,  and  the  Odeum,”  apparently  thus  naming  the 
Stoa  of  Eumenes,  the  Stoa  of  Dionysus  behind  the  scene- 
building of  the  theater,  and  the  Odeum  of  Pericles,  in  their 
order  from  west  to  east.  We  note  further  the  fact  that 
materials  common  to  Hellenistic  buildings  are  used  in  the 
Stoa,  and  that  the  building  closely  resembles  the  Stoa  of 
Eumenes  at  Pergamum.  The  Stoa  seems,  then,  to  have 
been  erected  by  Eumenes  II,  king  of  Pergamum  from  197 
to  159  b.c.  An  inscription  of  the  archonship  of  Xenocles 
(between  168  and  159  b.c.),  found  near  the  Propylaea 
records  the  people’s  thanks  to  a certain  Diodorus,  the 
“ friend  of  King  Eumenes  and  his  brothers,”  thus  adding  its 
mite  of  corroborative  evidence. 

Just  southeast  of  the  Stoa  of  Eumenes  lies  a small 
foundation  of  breccia  and  Acropolis  limestone  (Fig.  125), 


Fig.  123.  — Relief  represent- 
ing Asclepius,  his  daughter, 
Hygieia,  and  several  ador- 
ants  (National  Museum, 
Athens) . 


214 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


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THE  SOUTH  SLOPE  OF  THE  ACROPOLIS 


215 


about  55  feet  long  and  39  feet  wide,  but  nearly  five 
feet  wider  beyond  the  cross-wall  toward  the  western 
end.  This  foundation  has  recently  been  excavated  and 
identified  with  the  choregic  monument  of  the  younger 
Nicias,  which  formerly  was  supposed  to  have  been  located 


Fig.  125.  — Foundation  of  the  choregic  Monument  of  Nicias. 

near  the  Odeum  of  Herodes  Atticus.  It  was  temple-like 
in  form,  but  faced  the  west  (Fig.  126).  It  had  six  columns 
across  the  front  and  a wide  porch ; upon  its  summit  must 
have  stood  the  tripod  of  the  dedicator.  What  makes  the 
building  of  greatest  interest  is  the  fact  that  a large  number 
of  its  architectural  members  are  built  into  the  Beule  Gate 
(p.  237)  at  the  entrance  to  the  Acropolis  (Fig.  127).  These 
members,  including  portions  of  the  cornice,  metopes,  tri- 
glyphs, and  architrave  are  nearly  all  of  Pentelic  marble. 
The  stones  have  long  been  assigned  to  the  choregic  monu- 
ment, but  the  correct  foundation  has  only  recently  been 
discovered.  Across  the  architrave,  as  it  is  set  up  over  the 


2l6 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


Beule  Gate,  can  still  be  read  the  inscription:  “Nicias  son 
of  Nicodemus  of  Xypete  dedicated  this ; having  won  with 
a chorus  of  boys  for  the  tribe  Cecropis ; Pantaleon  the 
Sicyonian  played  the  flute ; the  Elpenor  of  Timotheus  was 
the  song;  Neaechmus  was  archon.”  The  name  of  the 


choregic  Monument  of  Nicias. 


archon  shows  that  Nicias’s  victory  was  won  in  the  same 
year  (320/319  b.c.)  as  that  of  Thrasyllus  (p.204),  which 
doubtless  gives  us  the  date  of  the  temple.  It  is  thus  seen 
to  be  earlier  than  the  Stoa  of  Eumenes,  and  it  doubtless 
determined  the  eastern  limits  of  that  building.  The  monu- 
ment was  torn  down,  and  its  parts  built  into  the  Beule 
Gate,  in  late  Roman  or  early  mediaeval  times. 

Cutting  off  the  end  of  the  Stoa  of  Eumenes  on  the  west, 
and  connected  with  it  by  a small  door,  is  the  Odeum  of 
Herodes  Atticus,  or  of  Regilla  (Figs.  128  and  129),  built 


THE  SOUTH  SLOPE  OF  THE  ACROPOLIS  217 

in  honor  of  the  benefactor’s  wife  Regilla,  who  died  about 
161  a.d.  The  building  is  in  the  form  of  a Roman  theater, 
and  had,  as  Philostratus  tells  us,  a roof  of  cedar.  It  is 
constructed  mostly  of  poros,  with  filling  of  brick,  concrete, 
and  small  stones ; on 
the  inside  it  was  origi- 
nally faced  with  slabs  of 
marble.  The  massive 
walls  of  the  front,  to 
a height  of  three  and 
four  stories,  and  a con- 
siderable part  of  the 
auditorium,  survive. 

The  building  seated 
some  5000  or  6000 
spectators. 

The  hollow  of  the 
cavea  (Fig.  130),  meas- 
uring about  250  feet 
across,  was  hewn  from 
the  rock,  and  at  its  top  was  a heavy  circuit  wall  strength- 
ened by  buttresses.  Above  it  ran  a wide  corridor  flanked 
by  an  outside  terrace  wall  and  probably  fronted  by  a colon- 
nade. The  seats  were  of  white  marble,  and  in  two  zones, 
with  an  aisle  between  them ; many  of  the  lower  seats  remain, 
but  in  a ruined  condition.  The  lower  zone  is  divided  by  six 
stairways  into  five  wedges.  The  benches  for  dignitaries, 
in  the  lowest  row,  had  backs  and  arms.  The  upper  zone 
had  eleven  stairways  and  ten  wedges.  As  ordinarily  in 
Roman  theaters,  spectators  who  had  seats  in  the  lower 
zone  reached  their  places  through  vaulted  passages  open- 
ing on  the  orchestra,  or  conistra ; those  for  the  upper  zone, 
from  the  aisle  between  the  zones,  to  which  access  was 


Fig.  127.  — Beule  Gate,  at  the  entrance 
to  the  Acropolis,  including  remains  of 
the  Monument  of  Nicias. 


2 18 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


Fig.  128.  — Odeum,  or  Music  Hall,  of  Herodes  Atticus,  from  the  southwest. 


Fig.  129.  — Plan  of  the  Odeum  of  Herodes  Atticus. 


THE  SOUTH  SLOPE  OF  THE  ACROPOLIS  219 


gained  from  stairs  in  the  stage-building  or  from  the  cor- 
ridor above. 

The  semicircular  orchestra,  about  62  feet  wide  by  39 
feet  deep,  is  paved  with  alternate  slabs  of  white  and 
bluish  marble,  and  is  surrounded  by  a covered  drain. 
It  had  no  parodoi  (p.  196)  but  was  entered  through  the 


Fig.  130.  — Interior  of  the  Odeum  of  Herodes  Atticus. 


vaulted  corridors  at  the  corners.  From  the  orchestra 
three  short  flights  of  steps  led  to  the  stage. 

The  stage-building,  including  its  auxiliary  rooms  and 
stairways,  is  about  300  feet  in  length.  Its  original  height 
has  not  been  determined,  but  the  side  wings  seem  to  have 
been  higher  than  the  central  part  of  the  structure.  How 
this  was  laid  out  and  ornamented  on  the  exterior  is  largely 
a matter  of  conjecture;  the  building  needs  a careful  re- 
examination and  study,  as  the  reconstructions  hitherto 
made  are  deficient  in  many  details. 


220 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


The  stage  proper,  about  115  feet  long  by  26  feet  deep, 
and  rising  nearly  five  feet  above  the  orchestra,  had 
a wooden  floor,  with  foundations  and  a facade  of  stone. 
At  each  end  is  a large  door,  and  at  the  back  are  three  doors 
opening  into  a sort  of  narthex,  of  which  only  the  founda- 
tions remain.  In  front  of  the  rear  wall  stood  grouped 
columns  forming  a colonnade,  which  supported  a balcony. 
Above  this  were  two  or  three  rows  of  windows  with  vaulted 
tops  which  sloped  upwards  toward  the  outside;  between 
the  windows  of  each  story  were  pilasters.  Niches  for 
statues  are  about  the  stage  and  in  other  parts  of  the  build- 
ing, which  was  richly  decorated  with  sculpture. 

The  area  between  the  Odeum  and  the  Asclepieum  and 
behind  the  Stoa  of  Eumenes  seems  to  have  been  occupied 
by  no  important  buildings.  Broken  walls  found  in  this 
region  are  variously  explained.  Some  scholars  have  con- 
nected certain  polygonal  walls  situated  here  with  the  Pelar- 
gicum  (pp.  5 1 f .) , resting  their  argument  partly  on  the  Delphic 
oracle  of  the  first  years  of  the  Peloponnesian  War  to  the 
effect  that  it  were  “ better  for  the  Pelargicum  to  be  idle/’ 
that  is,  without  buildings;  but  this  is  a doubtful  forcing 
of  the  oracle.  At  any  rate  the  walls  in  question  seem  too 
frail  to  have  formed  a part  of  the  Pelargicum.  The  audi- 
torium of  the  Odeum  cuts  across  a heavy  foundation  of 
breccia,  which  until  recently  was  supposed  to  belong  to 
the  Nicias  monument  (p.  215) ; data  are  lacking  for  its  cor- 
rect identification. 

We  now  return  to  Pausanias.  Somewhere  between  the 
Asclepieum  and  the  entrance  to  the  Acropolis  must  have 
been  the  sites  which  he  next  mentions.  “ After  the  sanc- 
tuary of  Asclepius,  as  you  go  this  way  to  the  Acropolis, 
is  a temple  of  Themis.  A memorial  to  Hippolytus  has  been 
heaped  up  before  it  — they  say  that  he  met  his  end  as  a 


J 


THE  SOUTH  SLOPE  OF  THE  ACROPOLIS  221 

result  of  the  curses;  and  to  every  one,  even  a Barbarian 
who  has  learned  the  language  of  the  Greeks,  the  love  of 
Phaedra  and  the  nurse’s  bold  act  of  service  are  well  known. 
. . . When  Theseus  brought  together  the  Athenians  from 
the  demes  into  one  city,  he  established  the  worship  of 
Aphrodite  of  All  the  People  (Pandemus)  and  Persuasion 
(Peitho).  The  old  statues  no  longer  existed  in  my  time, 
but  those  of  my  time  were  the  work  of  no  mean  artists. 
There  is  also  a sanctuary  of  Earth  the  Youth-nourisher 
(Curotrophus),  and  of  Verdant  Demeter  (Chloe).” 

No  general  agreement  has  been  reached  as  to  the  pre- 
cise situation  of  these  several  sites.  For  the  temple  of 
Themis  the  older  of  the  two  small  temple-like  structures 
at  the  western  end  of  the  precinct  of  Asclepius  has  been 
claimed ; but  we  have  no  good  evidence.  The  memorial 
to  Hippolytus  seems  to  have  been  in  the  form  of  a barrow. 
Near  it  may  have  been  the  temple  of  “ Aphrodite  in  honor  of 
Hippolytus”  founded  by  the  love-sick  Phaedra  “by  the 
rock  of  Pallas,”  the  Acropolis.  Perhaps  we  may  assume 
that  modern  “Barbarians,”  too,  know  Euripides’s  Hip- 
polytus— or  Racine’s  Phedre — and  omit  the  tale.  Euripi- 
des, and  after  him  Diodorus,  says  that  from  the  shrine 
of  Aphrodite  “in  honor  of  Hippolytus”  the  land  of  Troezen 
was  visible.  If  this  is  to  be  taken  literally,  it  limits  the  site 
to  the  region  near  the  end  of  the  sanctuary  of  Asclepius, 
for  farther  west  the  Hill  of  the  Muses  cuts  off  the  view. 

We  have  previously  noticed  that  the  sanctuary  of  Aphro- 
dite Pandemus  was  at  the  western  foot  of  the  Acropolis 
“near  the  Ancient  Agora”  (p.  83).  A portion  of  an  archi- 
trave adorned  with  doves  holding  a knotted  fillet  in  their 
beaks  and  engraved  with  a late  dedicatory  inscription  to 
Aphrodite  Pandemus  was  found  in  a Turkish  wall  in  this 
vicinity,  and  now  lies  beside  the  steps  leading  up  to  the 


222 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


Acropolis  (Fig.  13 1).  This  was  probably  taken  from  a 
small  temple  in  antis,  either  a later  restoration  of  an  earlier 
building  attributed  to  Theseus  or  a new  building  in  a 
precinct  which  previously  had  no  temple.  An  inscription 
of  283  b.c.  provides  for  the  care  of  the  worship  in  this 
shrine,  for  supplying  a dove  for  its  purification,  and  for 

cleaning  the  al- 
tars, covering 
the  roof  with 
pitch,  and  wash- 
ing the  statues. 

The  shrines  of 
Earth  the  Youth- 
nourisher  and 
Demeter  Chloe 
evidently  were  in 
close  proximity, 
as  the  divinities 
were  allied  by 
nature.  In  Aristophanes’s  Lysistrata  (v.  835)  the  women 
guarding  the  Acropolis  spy  a man  approaching  them  “past 
the  sanctuary  of  Chloe;”  this  locates  the  site  near  the 
entrance  to  the  Acropolis.  A boundary  stone  of  the  pre- 
cinct of  the  Youth-nourisher  and  an  inscription  mentioning 
the  entrance  to  the  inclosure  of  Blaute  and  the  Youth-nour- 
isher were  also  found  near  here.  Perhaps  neither  sanctu- 
ary had  a temple  originally,  but  a mutilated  inscription 
seems  to  mention  a temple  of  Demeter.  A fragment  of 
the  comic  poet  Eupolis  says:  “But  I am  going  straight 
to  the  Acropolis,  for  I must  sacrifice  a ram  to  Demeter 
Chloe.” 


Fig.  i 31.  — Architrave  of  the  temple  of  Aphrodite 
Pandemus. 

The  architrave  lies  along  the  wall  beside  the  modern  steps 
leading  up  to  the  Acropolis. 


Fig.  132.  — Acropolis,  from  Museum  Hill. 


CHAPTER  VIII 


The  Acropolis 

THE  ENTRANCE  AND  ITS  BUILDINGS 

The  natural  conformation  and  the  various  fortifications 
of  the  citadel  of  Athens  (Figs.  132  and  133)  have  already 
been  considered  (Chapters  I and  III).  Substantially  cor- 
rect is  the  statement  of  Pausanias  : “ There  is  one  entrance 
to  the  Acropolis ; it  affords  no  other,  being  all  precipitous 
and  having  a strong  wall.”  In  his  time  the  prehistoric 
postern  (p.  51)  at  the  northeast  corner  had  long  been 
closed ; the  stairway  descending  through  a cleft  in  the  rock 
near  the  center  of  the  north  side  is  mediaeval.  Possibly 
the  steps  leading  up  from  the  ledge  near  the  caves  of  Pan 
and  Apollo  were  still  accessible,  but  so  rarely  used  as  to  be 
passed  without  mention.  The  ordinary  approach  must 
always  have  been  at  the  gently  sloping  west  end  of  the  hill, 
“ in  front  of  the  Acropolis,”  as  Antigonus  rightly  puts  it 
{Hist,  mirab.  12). 

This  approach  varied  somewhat  in  different  periods.  A 
series  of  depressions  and  a roadway  hewn  and  worn  in  the 
rock  at  the  foot  of  the  bastion  occupied  by  the  little  temple 
of  Athena  Victory  (Fig.  134)  mark  the  earliest  regular 
approach.  During  the  Periclean  Age,  this  pathway  was  cov- 
ered with  earth,  and  in  the  mediaeval  period,  as  the  exca- 
vators report,  by  a rough  pavement,  which  they  broke  up. 
Rounding  the  bastion,  the  cuttings  disappear  under  the 


300  400  500  Feet. 

Fig.  133.  — Plan  of  the  Acropoli: 


226 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


modern  steps.  The  way  must  have  led  up  past  the  bit 
of  Cyclopean  wall  now  hid  in  the  bastion  to  the  upper  gate 
of  the  Enneapylum  (p.  51). 

Here  at  some  time  before  the  Persian  Wars  an  ornate 
gateway  was  constructed.  Fortunately  the  builders  of  its 


more  elaborate  successor  did  not  entirely  obliterate  the 
earlier  structure.  Cuttings  in  the  rock  in  the  broad  central 
doorway  of  the  later  building  mark  the  location  of  one 
corner  of  the  early  Propylum,  while  behind  the  southwest 
wing  of  the  Propylaea  are  considerable  remains  of  the 
corner  diagonally  opposite,  built  against  the  end  of  the  old 
Pelasgic  wall  (Fig.  135).  Resting  on  three  marble  steps  is 
a wall  of  poros  blocks  faced  by  a marble  anta ; a correspond- 
ing wall  and  anta  are  to  be  restored  at  the  opposite  corner 
of  the  facade,  and  between  were  two  Doric  columns  (Figs. 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


227 


136  and  137).  Behind  the  surviving  anta  is  a piece  of  the 
marble  side-wall  of  the  building,  about  15.5  feet  long,  with  a 
bench  at  its  lower  edge.  One  block  of  the  marble  floor  is 
also  in  situ,  and  various  cuttings  for  the  placing  of  statues 


Fig.  135.  — Extant  corner  of  the  early  Propylum  of  the  Acropolis. 

remain.  The  east  end  of  the  building  must  have  been  con- 
structed in  a similar  manner,  but  at  the  top  of  a flight  of 
steps  by  which  the  higher  level  was  reached.  Whether  or 
not  the  building  had  an  interior  cross-wall  with  doors  can- 
not be  determined.  Thus  the  Propylum,  which  was  about 
46  feet  long  by  36  feet  wide,  faced  the  southwest,  its  axis 
bisecting  the  angle  between  the  old  Pelasgic  wall  and  a later 
polygonal  wall  (Fig.  3)  which  runs  nearly  east  and  west 


228 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


along  the  middle  of  the  present  ascent,  and  probably  once 
stretched  up  to  the  Propylum. 

Outside  of  the  existing  anta  and  before  the  Pelasgic  wall 
is  a square  base,  apparently  for  a tripod  of  bronze,  and 
beyond  it  begins  a long  marble  seat  which  reappears  on  the 
other  side  of  the  corner  of  the  southwest  wing  of  the  Propy- 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


229 


laea,  here  abutting  on  the  Pelasgic  wall.  Below  the  oppo- 
site corner  of  the^fagade  are  cuttings  (k  in  Fig.  136)  which 
may  mark  the  site  of  the  bronze  Chalcidian  chariot  (p.  345) ; 
Herodotus  says  (5,  77)  that  this  was,  in  his  day,  “on  the 
left  hand  as  you  enter  the  Propylaea  on  the  Acropolis. ” 
The  Propylum  probably  was  burned  by  the  Persians,  but  it 
was  rebuilt  and  so  continued  well  into  the  age  of  Pericles. 

In  437  b.c.,  the  year  after  the  gold  and  ivory  statue  of 
Athena  was  installed  in  the  nearly  completed  Parthenon, 


Fig.  137.  — Elevation  of  the  early  Propylum,  restored. 


new  Propylaea  were  begun  under  the  direction  of  the  archi- 
tect Mnesicles  (Fig.  138).  This  building  was  constructed  of 
white  Pentelic  marble,  and  the  work  was  ended  in  the  almost 
incredibly  brief  time  of  five  years,  at  a cost,  we  are  told, 
of  2012  talents,  or  above  $2,000,000.  The  building  was 
justly  admired.  Demosthenes,  speaking  on  the  Pnyx, 
points  with  pride  to  “yonder  Propylaea;”  “Propylaea 
nobilia,”  writes  Cicero ; and  Pausanias  says  appreciatively : 
“The  Propylaea  have  a ceiling  of  white  marble,  and  in  their 
ornamentation  and  the  size  of  the  stones  are  supreme  up 
to  my  time.” 


Fig.  138.  — Propylaea  and  temple  of  Athena  Victory,  from  the  west. 

In  the  middle  of  the  foreground  is  the  bit  of  polygonal  wall  illustrated  in  Figure  3.  The  steps  ascending  beside  the  bastion  are  modern.  The  temporary 
track,  seen  in  this  and  in  Figure  139  is  used  to  convey  materials  for  repairs  to  buildings  of  the  Acropolis. 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


231 


For  the  new  gateway  the  orientation  was  changed,  so  that 
the  facade  faced  the  west,  and  the  building  was  designed  to 
stretch  across  the  entire  end  of  the  hill.  The  problem  was 
rendered  the  more  exacting  for  the  architect  because  of 
the  sloping  nature  of  the  rock  on  which  he  was  to  build. 
This  difficulty  Mnesicles  met  by  providing  a flight  of  steps 
at  the  center  of  the  building,  and  in  front  by  constructing  a 


Fig.  139.  — Pinacotheca  and  front  of  the  Propylaea,  from  the  southwest. 


high  foundation,  which  was  to  be  concealed  with  earth,  as 
its  rough  structure  indicates  (Fig.  139).  Through  the  mid- 
dle of  the  building  from  west  to  east  runs  an  inclined  road- 
way; this  in  late  times  was  paved  with  grooved  slabs,  a 
few  of  which  are  left. 

The  original  plan  of  the  Propylaea  (Fig.  140)  comprised 
a cross-wall  pierced  by  doorways ; in  front  of  this  a large 
megaron  combined  with  a west  portico,  behind  it  an  east 
portico ; northwest  and  southwest  wings ; and  larger 
northeast  and  southeast  wings.  The  east  wings  were  never 


232  ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


The  portions  indicated  by  hatched  lines  were  projected  but  never  completed. 


constructed,  and  the  dimensions  of  the  southwest  wing  were 
contracted.  As  designed  the  total  width  of  the  building 
would  have  been  223  feet;  its  actual  width  is  156  feet,  its 
depth  about  112  feet.  The  five  doorways  in  the  cross-wall 
(Fig.  141)  form  the  entrance  proper.  Of  these  the  central 
doorway  is  13.7  feet  in  lower  width  and  24  feet  high;  its 
lintel  is  a huge  block  nearly  19  feet  in  length.  On  either 


Fig.  141.  — Propylaea,  from  the  east. 

The  scaffolding  about  the  building  is  being  used  by  the  Greek  Archaeological  Society  for 

reconstruction. 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


233 


side  is  a doorway  11.3  feet  wide  and  17.7  feet  high ; and  at 
either  end  of  the  cross-wall  is  a small  doorway  4.8  feet  wide 
and  9.6  feet  high.  The  doorways  narrow  slightly  toward  the 
top.  The  ancient  bronze-sheathed  casings  and  doors  of 
wood  have  perished ; the  marble  casings  now  partly  pre- 
served are  of  a late  date.  In  front  of  the  cross-wall  is  the 


The  temple  of  Athena  Victory  is  omitted  in  order  to  make  visible  the  middle  portion  of 
the  Propylaea. 

flight  of  five  steps,  interrupted  by  the  middle  doorway.  The 
top  step  is  of  black  Eleusinian  stone,  which  is  also  used  for 
the  orthostatae,  or  wide  lower  course  of  the  wall,  rising 
behind  the  benches  which  ran  along  the  sides  of  the 
megaron. 

One  of  the  charming  features  of  the  Propylaea  is  the 
happy  combination  of  the  Doric  and  Ionic  orders  ( cj . Figs. 
139  and  142).  Resting  on  the  marble  floor  on  either  side 


234 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


of  the  roadway  are  three  slender  Ionic  columns  33.8  feet 
high  and  3.4  feet  in  lower  diameter.  The  western  megaron 
and  portico  are  50  feet  deep.  In  front  are  six  heavier 
Doric  columns  29.9  feet  high  and  5 feet  in  lower  diameter. 
The  central  intercolumniation  is  wider  than  those  at  the 
sides,  three  metopes  and  two  triglyphs  being  over  the  central 
space  instead  of  two  metopes  and  one  triglyph,  as  at  the 
sides  and  as  is  usual  in  most  buildings  of  the  best  period. 
When  circumstances  demanded,  the  Greek  architect  did 
not  hesitate  to  vary  from  norm.  The  east  portico  is  24 
feet  deep,  and  is  also  fronted  by  six  Doric  columns, 
almost  three  feet  shorter  than  those  at  the  west.  The  floor 
of  this  portico  is  nearly  level  with  the  surface  of  the  rock 
on  the  east,  being  separated  from  it  only  by  the  stylobate 
and  a low  step.  Both  rooms  of  the  central  portion  of  the 
building  had  coffered  ceilings  of  marble,  of  exceptional 
beauty.  The  roof  of  this  portion  ended  in  an  unsculptured 
pediment  over  each  facade ; over  the  cross-wall  the  roof  was 
interrupted  and  continued  at  a different  level  (Fig.  142) ; 
the  roof-tiling  was  of  marble.  At  the  west  the  columns  rest 
above  four  marble  steps ; these  extend  at  right  angles 
westward  in  front  of  the  wings,  where,  however,  the  lowest 
step  is  of  black,  or  dark  gray,  Eleusinian  stone.  The  steps 
terminate  in  antae,  which  later  supported  statues  of  horse- 
men. To  these  we  shall  return  (pp.  238  f.). 

The  north  wing  of  the  building  is  the  Pinacotheca  (Figs. 
139,  140,  142),  or  picture  gallery,  of  which  Pausanias 
presently  speaks.  It  is  a nearly  square  room,  about 
35  by  29  feet;  apparently  it  was  never  floored.  The 
deep  portico  is  fronted  by  three  Doric  columns  about 
19  feet  in  height;  the  triglyph  frieze  above  the  columns 
also  runs  around  the  west  and  north  sides  of  the  building. 
The  partition  wall  behind  the  portico  has  a doorway  7.6  feet 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


235 


wide  and  14.9  feet  high,  with  a sill  of  black  Eleusinian 
stone,  and  on  either  side  of  the  doorway  a narrow  window. 
Beneath  the  windows  and  around  the  inner  room  at  the 
same  level  is  a narrow  band  of  the  black  stone,  probably 
indicating  the  lower  edge  of  the  pictures  which  the  room 
contained.  The  doorway  and  the  windows  are  not  cen- 
tered but  apparently  arranged  proportionally  with  reference 
to  points  of  view  near  the  opposite  wing  of  the  building. 
A hip  roof  covered  the  wing.  West  of  the  Pinacotheca  the 
rock  drops  off  suddenly,  and  the  wall  on  this  side  is  sup- 
ported by  a fanlike  foundation  nearly  twenty  feet  in 
height. 

The  architect  obviously  intended  that  the  southwest  wing 
should  be  of  the  same  size  as  the  northwest  wing,  but 
planned  that  it  should  have  a colonnade  instead  of  a blank 
wall  on  the  west  side.  But,  probably  in  consequence  of 
effectual  opposition  on  the  part  of  the  priests  of  the  precinct 
of  Athena  Victory,  he  was  compelled  to  curtail  his  plan, 
though  he  still  built  in  such  a way  that  the  original  design 
might  be  carried  out  when  circumstances  permitted.  The 
north  colonnade  was  constructed  according  to  specifications, 
so  as  to  counterbalance  that  of  the  Pinacotheca,  but  the 
south  wall  was  brought  up  to  about  20.5  feet  behind  the 
colonnade  and  shortened  to  29.4  feet;  then  a pier  was 
placed  between  the  anta  at  the  end  of  this  wall  and  the 
colonnade.  An  irregular  hip  roof  covered  the  wing,  with 
a smaller  hip  roof  over  the  projecting  anta  west  of  the 
columns ; this  anta  with  the  adjacent  column  has  now 
disappeared.  Above  the  entire  wing  a high  “Frankish 
tower”  was  built  in  the  Middle  Ages  and  stood  until  1874 
(Fig.  231).  Along  the  closed  sides  of  the  wing  ran  a long 
base,  or  series  of  bases,  the  purpose  of  which  is  unknown. 

Mnesicles’s  plan  also  included  large  northeast  and  south- 


236 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


east  wings  extending  to  the  edge  of  the  Acropolis  on  either 
side  (Fig.  140) ; various  clews  remain  to  tell  us  of  it.  These 
are  partly  finished  antae  just  back  and  outside  of  the  ends 
of  the  side-walls  of  the  east  portico ; slanting  cuttings  above 
these  antae,  to  accommodate  the  roofs  of  the  wings ; and 
an  interior  cornice  and  holes  for  the  beams  of  the  ceiling 
and  roof  in  the  east  wall  of  the  Pinacotheca  and  the  north 
wall  of  the  central  building.  But,  seemingly,  again  the 
protests  of  the  priests,  this  time  of  the  sanctuary  of  Brau- 
ronian  Artemis  on  the  south,  together,  perhaps,  with  the 
troubles  preceding  the  outbreak  of  the  Peloponnesian  War, 
availed  to  check  the  execution  of  the  plan,  and  the  wings 
were  never  finished.  They  were  each  to  have  been  about 
76  by  42  feet  in  size  and  fronted  by  a colonnade,  probably 
of  eight  columns.  Whether  they  were  to  have  an  inner 
row  of  columns  is  uncertain. 

Various  other  details,  such  as  the  unremoved  bosses  on  the 
walls  (Fig.  135),  give  added  evidence  that  the  building  was 
not  fully  completed.  But  even  thus,  it  formed  a magnifi- 
cent portal  to  the  precinct.  Though  the  building  was  not 
adorned  with  sculpture,  it  was  designed  and  constructed 
with  great  skill.  The  architectural  members  had  the  usual 
painted  decorations,  the  design  of  which  is  still  discernible 
on  some  fragments  which  lie  about  the  building. 

The  problems  relative  to  the  approach  to  the  Acropolis 
are  not  fully  solved.  The  front  foundations  of  the  Propy- 
laea  were  clearly  not  meant  to  be  seen  (p.  231),  and  we  may 
be  sure  that  the  space  between  the  wings  was  filled  with  a 
sloping  terrace,  or  terraces,  of  earth  up  to  the  bottom  of  the 
front  steps,  thus  permitting  ascent  at  any  point.  That  the 
approach  was  always  difficult  we  may  conclude  from  a pas- 
sage of  the  Lysistrata  of  Aristophanes  (v.  286  f.)  in  which  the 
chorus  of  old  men  is  represented  as  toilsomely  climbing  the 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


237 


steep  slope.  That  the  animals  for  sacrifice  were  dragged 
along  a zigzag  path  to  the  middle  doorway  through  the 
Propylaea  is  quite  likely ; but  we  have  no  reason  to  believe, 
as  some  have  done,  that  a regular  zigzag  footpath  was 
laid  out,  which  would  render  practically  useless  the  steps 
in  front  of  the  building,  and  all  the  doorways  except  the 
middle  one. 

Toward  the  middle  of  the  first  century  of  our  era,  perhaps 
in  the  reign  of  the  Roman  emperor  Caligula  (37-41  a.d.), 
a broad  flight  of  marble  steps  was  made  between  the  wings. 
Considerable  portions  of  these  stairs  remain ; the  present 
narrow  stairway  at  the  right,  however,  though  of  ancient 
materials,  was  built  in  the  last  century. 

In  late  Roman  or  even  Byzantine  times,  the  two  towers 
were  built  which  flank  the  “Beule  Gate”  (Fig.  127),  as  it  is 
called  from  the  name  of  its  discoverer.  These  towers  are 
nearly  square  and  are  made  of  poros  blocks,  taken,  at  least 
in  part,  from  some  earlier  structure.  Between  them  was 
some  sort  of  a gate,  which  was  later  replaced  by  the  existing 
gateway,  constructed  largely  of  architectural  members  of 
the  choregic  monument  of  Nicias  (p.  215).  A vaulted  cor- 
ridor once  existed  behind  the  towers  and  gate  ; while  behind 
the  north  tower  and  at  a lower  level  an  archaic  altar  has 
been  found  in  situ  (cf.  Fig  134). 

In  this  connection  mention  should  be  made  of  the  guards 
and  gatekeepers  of  the  Acropolis  whose  names  are  pre- 
served in  inscriptions ; they  probably  belong  to  the  period 
when  the  staircase  was  built  up  the  ascent  to  the  Propylaea. 

Before  we  leave  this  region  we  may  notice  a structure 
not  mentioned  in  any  ancient  author,  the  lofty  monument 
of  Agrippa,  which  stands  west  of  the  Pinaco theca  (Fig. 
143).  The  monument  is  about  44  feet  in  height  and 
consists  of  a foundation,  built  of  Hymettian  marble 


238 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


and  limestone,  and  a tapering  pier  of  alternate  wide  and 
narrow  courses  of  Hymettian  marble  resting  on  three  steps, 
of  which  the  uppermost  is  of  Pentelic  marble ; the  structure 

is  capped  by  a 
cornice  and  blocks 
which  have  inci- 
sions for  the  mount- 
ing of  a quadriga. 
The  quadriga  prob- 
ably bore  a statue 
of  Agrippa.  The 
basis  is  turned 
somewhat  from  the 
axis  of  the  Propy- 
laea,  a fact  often 
explained  by  a sup- 
posed orientation 
on  a zigzag  path, 
which  we  have  seen 
reason  to  reject ; but  the  monument  is  nearly  parallel  with 
the  bottom  of  the  fanlike  foundation  of  the  Pinacotheca, 
probably  a sufficient  explanation  of  its  peculiar  position. 
On  its  west  side  a little  below  the  cornice  is  an  inscription 
in  large  letters:  “The  people  [dedicated  this  statue  of] 
Marcus  Agrippa,  son  of  Marcus,  thrice  consul,  their  bene- 
factor.” The  mention  of  Agrippa’s  third  consulate  estab- 
lishes the  date  of  the  basis  as  27  b.c.  ; but  we  do  not  know 
what  Augustus’s  able  minister  had  done  for  Athens  to  merit 
the  distinction. 

We  have  already  seen  (p.  234)  that  the  antae  at  the  west- 
ern ends  of  the  steps  of  the  Propylaea  bore  bronze  statues  of 
horsemen.  Pausanias  must  have  looked  at  these  only  cas- 
ually, for  he  says:  “I  cannot  state  definitely  whether  the 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


239 


images  of  the  horsemen  are  the  sons  of  Xenophon  or  are 
merely  decorative.”  Parts  of  the  bases  on  which  the  horse- 
men stood  have  been  found,  and  one  base  has  been  restored 
on  the  southern  anta  (Fig.  144).  This  block  bears  an  in- 
scription (now  inverted  ) which  reads  : “The  horsemen  from 
the  spoils  of  the  enemy;  the  hipparchs,  Lacedaemonius, 
Xenophon,  Pronapes ; made  by  Lycius  of  Eleutherae,  son 
of  Myron.”  From  the  forms  of  the  letters  the  date  may  be 
determined  as  near  the  middle  of  the  fifth  century  b.c., 
before  the  historian  Xenophon  was  born  ! The  Xenophon 
of  the  inscription  is  apparently  the  son  of  Euripides  of 
Melite,  who  was  general  at  Samos  in  440  b.c.  and  died  at 
Potidaea  eleven  years  later.  Lacedaemonius  is  probably 
the  son  of  the  Cimon  who  was  general  at  Corcyra  in  433 
b.c.  Of  Pronapes  we  have  no  further  knowledge.  On  the 
front  of  the  restored  block  the  same  inscription  is  repeated 
in  later  letters,  and  there  are  incisions  in  both  the  upper 
and  the  lower  surfaces  to  receive  the  equestrian  statue. 
The  second  inscription  was  no  doubt  cut  when  the  statues 
were  set  up  after  the  construction  of  the  Propylaea ; where 
they  stood  before  that  time  we  do  not  know.  In  17  or 
18  a.d.,  the  southern  statue  was  rededicated  to  the  Roman 
Germanicus,  and  on  the  block  of  the  anta  beneath  the  base 
of  the  statue  was  carved:  “The  people  [dedicated  this 
statue  of]  Germanicus  Caesar,  descendant  of  the  divine 
Augustus.” 

After  mentioning  the  statues  of  the  horsemen  Pausanias 
continues:  “On  the  right  of  the  Propylaea  is  a temple  of 
Wingless  Victory.  Thence  the  sea  is  visible,  and  there 
Aegeus  cast  himself  off,  as  they  say,  and  was  killed,”  that 
is,  when  his  son  Theseus  returned  from  Crete  under  black 
sails.  “And  in  his  honor  the  Athenians  have  the  heroum 
called  the  Heroum  of  Aegeus.” 


240 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


The  temple  of  Wingless  Victory  (Fig.  144),  properly 
called  Athena  Victory,  as  inscriptions  tell  us,  stands  on  the 
high  bastion  that  juts  out  to  the  west  of  the  Propylaea. 
From  Pausanias’s  statement,  “ thence  the  sea  is  visible,” 
the  inference  has  justly  been  drawn  that  the  Cimonian 


Fig.  144.  — Temple  of  Athena  Victory,  from  the  top  of  the  Pinacotheca. 
The  hill  in  the  background  is  the  Hill  of  the  Muses. 


Wall  shut  out  the  view  from  the  interior  of  the  Acropolis 
(pp.  57  f.).  A leveled  area  immediately  below  and  south  of 
the  bastion  (Fig.  20)  has  been  plausibly  conjectured  to  be 
the  site  of  the  Heroum  of  Aegeus,  though  Pausanias  does 
not  state  directly  that  the  Heroum  was  situated  where 
Aegeus  fell. 

In  the  early  days,  when  the  Acropolis  was  essentially  a 
fortified  castle,  the  bastion  on  which  the  temple  of  Athena 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


241 


Victory  was  afterwards  built  was  an  effective  outwork 
against  approaching  enemies,  who,  as  at  Tiryns  and  other 
primitive  citadels,  could  be  attacked  from  above  on  their 
unshielded  right  side.  The  wall  of  the  bastion  has  been 
repeatedly  rebuilt,  but  the  evidence  is  too  scanty  to  permit 
as  yet  a final  interpretation  of  its  history,  and  opinions  are 
still  diverse.  A piece  of  the  early  Cyclopean  north  wall  is 
buried  in  the  bastion  and  has  a different  orientation  from 
the  present  north  face  (g  in  Fig.  136).  The  Cimonian  Wall 
probably  continued  about  the  bastion ; but  on  the  south 
it  has  been  replaced  by  a mediaeval  and  modern  wall.  The 
north  and  west  faces  are  nearly  intact ; in  the  opinion  of 
some  these  are  the  work  of  the  period  when  the  temple  was 
built.  The  extant  portions  are  built  of  well-fitted  blocks 
of  poros  laid  in  even  courses,  and  on  the  west  the 
bastion  reaches  the  height  of  28  feet.  The  greater  part 
of  the  wall  is  made  of  alternate  headers  and  stretchers 
(p.  9) ; but  along  part  of  the  north  and  west  faces  — per- 
haps where  the  old  Cyclopean  wall  behind  interfered  — 
false  joints  were  grooved  in  the  alternate  layers  of  stretchers, 
so  as  to  give  the  appearance  of  headers.  This  makes  it 
evident  that  the  face  of  the  wall  was  intended  to  be  seen ; 
but  at  the  time  when  the  broad  staircase  of  approach  was 
built  in  Roman  days  (p.  237)  the  north  and  west  walls  seem 
to  have  been  covered  with  a veneering  of  marble.  The 
holes  for  the  cramps  by  which  the  marble  was  fastened  are 
plainly  visible.  The  wall  is  capped  on  these  faces  with  a 
coping  of  marble  partly  built  into,  and  so  contemporaneous 
with,  the  temple.  In  the  lower  part  of  the  western  face 
of  the  bastion  are  two  contiguous  niches  whose  purpose 
is  unknown. 

At  the  end  of  the  north  wall,  where  it  abuts  on  the  anta 
of  the  Propylaea  (Fig.  144),  is  a small  flight  of  steps,  4.3 


R 


242 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


feet  wide,  leading  up  to  the  temple  platform  from  a ramp 
whose  foundations  are  below  and  to  the  east  of  the  steps. 
At  present  five  steps  are  left;  formerly  one  or  two  more 
were  added  at  the  bottom  of  the  flight  and  two  and  a half 
at  the  top.  To  these  steps  and  their  foundations,  with  a 
few  other  bits  of  evidence,  a considerable  literature  has  been 
devoted  in  the  effort  to  determine  which  is  of  earlier  date, 
the  Propylaea  or  the  temple  and  the  wall  of  the  bastion. 
It  seems  probable  that  the  steps  were  formerly  longer  and 
perhaps  bedded  in  a wall  at  the  east,  as  they  now  are  at 
the  west,  and  that  they  were  cut  off  when  the  anta  of  the 
Propylaea  was  built,  though  it  is  fair  to  add  that  quite 
opposite  opinions  are  based  by  others  on  the  same  evidence. 
The  rough  ends  of  the  steps  and  the  condition  of  the  foun- 
dation below  them  seem  to  confirm  the  view  stated.  We 
may  assume  that  the  half  step  at  the  top  was  originally 
of  full  height,  and  that  it  was  lowered,  with  the  platform, 
when  the  temple  was  constructed.  If  this  is  correct,  the 
chief  objection  to  the  opinion  that  the  temple  was  earlier 
than  the  Propylaea  is  obviated,  for  this  objection  is  founded 
on  the  theory  that  the  direction  of  the  north  wall  of  the 
bastion  was  determined  by  the  orientation  of  the  Propylaea. 
The  other  important  objection,  that  the  sculpture  of  the 
temple  is  of  too  late  a style  to  have  been  wrought  at 
the  middle  of  the  fifth  century  b.c.,  before  the  date  of  the 
Propylaea,  is  too  subjective  to  be  allowed  to  transcend 
the  other  evidence. 

A new  stage  in  the  discussion  respecting  the  age  of  the 
temple  was  reached  upon  the  discovery  in  1896  of  an  inscrip- 
tion (Fig.  145 a)  recording  a decree  which  provides  for  the 
appointment,  and  the  mode  of  payment,  of  a priestess  of 
Athena  Victory,  the  supplying  of  the  sanctuary  of  the 
divinity  with  a door,  or  doors,  the  building  of  a stone  altar, 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


243 


and  the  erection  of  a temple  under  the  direction  of  Calli- 
crates, one  of  the  architects  of  the  Parthenon.  From  the 
forms  of  its  letters  the  inscription  may  be  dated  about  the 


B 

Fig.  145.  — Inscriptions  relating  to  the  construction  of  the  temple  of 
Athena  Victory. 

middle  of  the  fifth  century  b.c.  On  the  back  of  the  marble 
slab  bearing  the  inscription  is  another  decree  (Fig.  145  b) 
of  a later  date,  perhaps  the  beginning  of  the  Peloponnesian 
War,  and  apparently  the  work  of  two  stonecutters.  This 


244 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


sets  forth  provisions  for  the  payment  to  the  priestess  of 
Athena  Victory  of  the  sum  defined  in  the  earlier  decree. 
The  presumption,  then,  is  decidedly  in  favor  of  the  view 
that  the  temple  was  built  when  provided  for  by  the  earlier 
decree,  or  about  the  time  when  the  Parthenon,  the  master- 
piece of  Callicrates,  was  also  building. 

The  temple  of  Athena  Victory  is  of  the  Ionic  order  and 
is  built  entirely  of  white  Pentelic  marble.  It  rests  on  three 
steps  and  measures  about  18.5  by  27  feet  on  the  stylobate ; 
the  cella  is  about  12  by  14  feet.  In  front  it  has  two 
square  pillars  between  the  antae ; between  these  is  the 
doorway,  while  the  side  spaces  were  filled  originally  with 
bronze  gratings.  The  temple  is  amphiprostyle  tetrastyle, 
having  four  columns  at  each  end.  The  columns  are  exceed- 
ingly graceful,  and  their  shafts  are  monolithic.  The  corner 
columns  in  front  were  joined  to  the  cella  by  marble  barriers ; 
and  the  corner  capitals  are  canted,  as  usual  in  Ionic  build- 
ings, so  as  to  present  volutes  on  both  front  and  side.  A 
molding  corresponding  in  outline  to  the  bases  of  the  col- 
umns runs  about  the  lower  edge  of  the  cella,  the  top  course 
of  which  is  also  profiled.  The  temple  was  crowned  by  the 
customary  roof  of  wood  over  the  entablature,  which  in- 
cluded a sculptured  frieze  about  18  inches  high  (Fig.  146). 
Parts  of  the  frieze  were  removed  by  Lord  Elgin  and  are  now 
in  the  British  Museum ; these  portions  were  later  replaced 
by  copies  in  terra  cotta,  which  are  now  blackened  by  the 
weather. 

The  frieze  on  the  east  end  represents  an  assemblage  of 
the  Olympian  gods,  that  on  the  west  end,  a combat  of 
Greeks  with  Greeks ; on  the  north  and  south  sides  a con- 
test of  Greeks  with  Persians  is  portrayed.  The  subject  of 
the  east  section  is  therefore  mythological,  of  the  others 
historical ; yet  identification  of  the  scenes  of  battle  is  im- 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


245 


possible.  The  frieze  is  badly  mutilated,  but  the  grace  and 
vivacity  of  style  are  worthy  of  the  best  period  of  Greek  art. 
The  pediments  were  unsculptured. 

In  front  of  the  temple,  on  a foundation  still  extant,  was 
a large  altar,  doubtless  the  one  for  which  the  decree 


Fig.  146.  — Southeast  corner  of  the  frieze  of  the  temple  of  Athena  Victory. 

provides.  The  cella  was  occupied  by  the  ancient  cult 
statue  of  Athena  Victory,  a wooden  figure  holding  in  the 
right  hand  a pomegranate,  in  the  left  a helmet ; no  replica 
of  the  statue  has  been  identified. 

At  some  unknown  date  near  the  end  of  the  fifth  century 
b.c.,  the  north,  west,  and  south  sides,  and  the  ends  of  the 
east  side  of  the  platform  were  surrounded  by  a marble 
balustrade,  about  3.5  feet  high,  of  which  considerable 
portions  are  now  preserved  in  the  Acropolis  Museum ; 
the  cornice  of  the  bastion  retains  the  marks  of  the 
fastenings.  The  inside  of  the  balustrade  was  smooth,  the 
outside  was  covered  with  a series  of  reliefs  representing 
winged  Victories  occupied  in  sacrifice  or  triumph.  These 


246 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


graceful  figures  with  the  flowing  draperies  that  envelop 
them  are  among  the  most  beautiful  works  of  Greek  sculp- 
ture (Figs.  147  and  148). 

The  group  of  buildings  at  the  entrance  to  the  Acropolis 
has  undergone  severe  vicissitudes.  Just  before  1687, 
while  expecting  the  attack  of  the  Venetians,  the  Turks  tore 
down  the  temple  of  Victory,  which  had  been  in  use  for  the 


Fig.  147.  — Victory  adjusting 
her  sandal ; slab  from  the  bal- 
ustrade about  the  temple  of 
Athena  Victory. 


Fig.  148.  — Victory  adjusting 
her  sandal,  restored;  from  a 
modern  copy  in  marble. 


storage  of  powder,  and  used  its  members  to  strengthen  the 
fortification  wall,  which  extended  from  the  bastion  nearly 
to  the  monument  of  Agrippa,  and  rose  ten  or  twelve  feet 
higher  than  the  bastion ; here  they  planted  their  cannon. 
About  1835  the  fortification  wall  was  destroyed,  and  the 
temple  was  rebuilt  and  restored  with  new  stones  in  place 
of  the  blocks  which  were  lost;  a few  of  the  old  blocks 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


247 


have  recently  been  identified  in  different  parts  of  the 
Acropolis. 

At  least  as  early  as  the  fourteenth  century  the  Propylaea 
began  to  be  used  as  a palace.  Somewhat  later  the  spaces 
between  the  columns  were  closed  by  a rough  wall,  a lofty 
parapet  was  built  above  the  Pinacotheca,  and  a high  tower 
above  the  southwest  wing  (p.  235).  In  the  middle  of  the 
seventeenth  century  the  building  was  struck  by  lightning 
and  much  injured  by  the  explosion  of  powder  stored  in  it. 
As  late  as  1794  one  of  the  columns  was  converted  into 
lime,  and  during  the  Greek  Revolution  the  building  suffered 
severe  injuries.  At  present  it  is  being  carefully  and  scien- 
tifically restored. 

To  return  to  Pausanias  ; “On  the  left  of  the  Propylaea,” 
he  continues,  “is  a room  having  pictures.”  This,  we 
have  seen  (pp.  234!.),  is  really  the  northwest  wing  of  the  Pro- 
pylaea itself.  The  name  Pinacotheca  is  commonly  applied 
to  it,  but  without  ancient  authority.  “Of  the  pictures 
which  time  has  not  effaced  are  Diomedes  and  Odysseus, 
the  latter  carrying  off  the  bow  of  Philoctetes  in  Lemnos, 
the  former  the  image  of  Athena  from  Ilium ; here  too  is 
Orestes  killing  Aegisthus,  and  Pylades  killing  the  sons  of 
Nauplius  who  came  to  Aegisthus’s  aid ; Polyxena  is  about 
to  be  slain  near  the  tomb  of  Achilles.  . . . These  were 
painted  by  Polygnotus.  He  also  painted  Odysseus  stand- 
ing by  the  girls  washing  with  Nausicaa  at  the  river,  in  the 
manner  described  by  Homer.  Among  other  paintings  is 
that  of  Alcibiades,  and  tokens  of  his  victory  with  horses 
at  Nemea  are  in  the  picture.  Perseus  is  being  brought  to 
Seriphos,  carrying  the  head  of  Medusa  to  Polydecte.  . . • 
Passing  by  the  picture  of  the  boy  bearing  the  water-jars, 
and  the  wrestler  which  Timaenetus  painted,  here  is  Mu- 
saeus.”  Whether  these  pictures  were  frescoes,  or  free  pic- 


248 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


tures  hanging  on  the  walls,  or  easel  pictures,  is  a moot 
point.  They  are  several  times  referred  to  as  tablets 
(pinaces),  and  Polemo  is  said  to  have  written  a book  On  the 
Tablets  in  the  Propylaea.  Furthermore,  Polygnotus  seems 
to  have  visited  Athens  a generation  or  so  before  the 
Propylaea  were  built,  and  if  the  pictures  attributed  to  him 
were  really  his,  they  must  have  been  brought  from  some 
other  place.  This  evidence  would  incline  us  to  the  opinion 
that  the  pictures  were  free  paintings  hung  on  the  walls. 
No  holes  for  hooks  of  suspension,  however,  are  discoverable, 
and  this  fact  taken  into  consideration,  along  with  the  strip 
of  black  stone  (p.  235),  which  apparently  marks  the  lower 
edge  of  paintings,  as  at  Pergamum  and  elsewhere,  points 
rather  to  frescoes;  so  the  problem  remains  open.  Of  the 
individual  pictures  we  know  little  more  than  the  names. 
We  are  told  that  the  figure  of  Alcibiades  was  painted  by 
Aristophon,  or  Aglaophon,  and  that  he  was  represented  as 
seated  in  the  lap  of  the  personified  Nemea,  and  “more 
beautiful  than  the  faces  of  women.”  Plutarch  adds  {Al- 
cibiades 16)  that  the  older  men  disapproved  of  the  picture, 
as  “smacking  of  tyranny  and  unlawful.” 

“Close  by  the  entrance  to  the  Acropolis  is  a Hermes 
whom  they  call  Propylaeus ; and  the  Graces,  they  say, 
Socrates  son  of  Sophroniscus  made.”  And  with  these  must 
be  associated  a statue  which  Pausanias  mentions  in  another 
place  (2,  30,  2) : “ Alcamenes  was,  I think,  the  first  to  make 
three  statues  of  Hecate  together,  which  the  Athenians  call 
On  the  Tower  (Epipyrgidia) . It  stands  by  the  temple 
of  Wingless  Victory.”  The  threefold  statue  of  Artemis 
Hecate  was  a type  often  repeated  in  later  times.  Since 
the  work  made  by  Alcamenes  stood  “on  the  tower,”  we  are 
perhaps  safe  in  assigning  it  to  the  open  space  south  of  the 
temple  of  Victory  (Fig.  149). 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


249 


Pausanias  does  not  give  us  the  name  of  the  sculptor  of 
the  Hermes  Propylaeus,  but  happily  we  can  now  supply  it. 
In  1903  a herm  in  excellent  preservation  was  found  in  the 
excavations  at  Pergamum  (Fig.  150).  The  epigram  en- 
graved upon  it  says  : “ You  shall  see  Alcamenes’s  beautiful 
statue,  the  Hermes  before  the  gates ; set  up  by  Pergamius 


Fig.  149.  — Temple  of  Athena  Victory  and  surroundings,  restored. 


(or  a Pergamene  ?).”  The  herm  seems  to  be  a copy  of  the 
statue  of  Alcamenes,  and  from  it  have  already  been  identi- 
fied a number  of  other  replicas  in  European  museums.  The 
discovery  is  important,  for  it  has  restored  to  us  the  first 
authenticated  copy  of  a work  by  the  well-known  pupil  of 
Pheidias,  whose  style  it  not  a little  resembles.  The  bearded 
head  has  a strain  of  archaism  about  it  which  permits  us  to 
guess  that  it  may  have  been  an  early  work  of  Alcamenes ; 
possibly  it  was  set  up  first  in  the  old  Propylum. 


250 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


Pausanias’s  belief,  reiterated  in  another  passage  (9,  35,  7), 
that  the  Graces  were  the  work  of  the  famous  Socrates,  is 
expressed  also  by  several  other  an- 
cient writers,  and  apparently  reflects 
a popular  tradition.  These  divini- 
ties, whose  names  at  Athens  were 
Auxo,  Thallo,  and  Carpo,  are  repre- 
sented in  a number  of  ancient  reliefs 
(Fig.  1 51)  which  seem  to  go  back  to  a 
common  original,  an  original,  how- 
ever, of  a style  which  antedates  the 
period  of  the  philosopher.  For  this 
reason  the  tradition  is  now  generally 
believed  to  be  based  upon  a confusion 
of  names  arising  perhaps  from  the 
fact  that  the  great  Socrates  was  a 
statuary  in  his  youth.  This  expla- 
nation, however,  rests  on  the  assump- 
tion that  the  extant  reliefs  are  copies 
of  the  work  ascribed  to  Socrates,  and 
of  this  we  are  at  present  by  no  means 
certain. 

The  three  works  of  art,  the 
Hermes,  the  Graces,  and  the  Hecate, 

Hermes  of  Propylaeus,  are  more  or  less  closely  associated  in 
by  Alcamenes ; from  our  literary  references ; they  cannot 
Pergamum  (Constant!-  haye  stood  far  a part.  pausanias 

says,  in  the  second  passage  referred 
to,  that  the  Graces  were  “ before  the  entrance  into  the 
Acropolis,”  and  that  a mystic  ceremony  was  enacted  before 
them.  Pliny  (Nat.  hist.  36,  32)  asserts  that  they  stood  “in 
the  Propylum,”  while  a scholiast  on  Aristophanes  (Tzetzes, 
schol.  on  Clouds  773)  states  that  they  were  “carved  on  the 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


25T 


wall  behind  the  Athena,”  which  must  be  a piece  of  misinfor- 
mation, or  an  incorrect  reading.  The  suggestion  has  been 
made  that  the  Hermes  stood  in  the  niche  between  the  anta 
of  the  Pinacotheca  and  the  adjacent  anta  of  the  Propylaea, 


Fig.  151.  — Relief  representing  the  Graces  (Vatican  Museum,  Rome). 


while  the  Graces  were  in  the  corresponding  niche  by  the 
southwest  wing.  Cuttings  in  the  floor  show  that  both  of 
these  places  were  once  occupied  by  statues,  but  no  evidence 
is  at  hand  regarding  their  character.  Possibly  the  more 
plausible  conjecture  is  that  the  Graces  stood  in  the  corner 
south  of  the  southwest  wing  of  the  Propylaea  ; this  would  be 
a secluded  place  for  mystic  rites.  The  Hermes  may  be  iden- 


252 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


deal  with  one  named  the  Uninitiated  (Amyetus) ; but  this 
does  not  help  us  to  find  its  situation,  for  the  Hermes  Un- 
initiated is  merely  known  to  have  been  “at  Athens  on  the 
Acropolis”  (Hesychius,  s.v.). 

FROM  THE  PROPYLAEA  TO  THE  PARTHENON 

The  mention  of  Socrates  leads  Pausanias  to  speak  of  the 
“seven  wise  men.”  In  this  connection  he  names  Hippias, 
who  after  the  assassination  of  his  brother  Hipparchus  spent 
his  fury  on  many,  conspicuously  on  a woman  named  Leaena 
(Lioness),  the  mistress  of  Aristogeiton,  who  refused  to 
betray  her  friends,  even  under  torture.  “And  for  this 
reason,  after  the  tyranny  of  the  Peisistratids  ended,  the 
Athenians  erected  a bronze  lioness  in  memory  of  the  woman. 
Near  this  is  a statue  of  Aphrodite,  which  is  said  to  be  a 
votive  offering  of  Callias  and  the  work  of  Calamis.  Near 
by  is  a bronze  statue  of  Dieitrephes  pierced  with  arrows. 
. . . Near  Dieitrephes  (for  I do  not  wish  to  write  of  less 
important  images)  are  statues  of  the  goddess  Hygieia,  who 
is  said  to  be  the  daughter  of  Asclepius,  and  of  Athena,  whose 
by-name  is  also  Hygieia.  And  there  is  a stone,  not  a large 
one,  but  big  enough  for  a small  man  to  sit  on,  where  they 
say  the  Silenus  rested  when  Dionysus  came  to  the  land.  . . . 
I know,  from  having  seen  them,  the  other  things  on  the 
Acropolis  of  the  Athenians,  including  the  bronze  boy,  hold- 
ing the  lustral  basin,  by  Lycius  son  of  Myron,  and  Myron’s 
Perseus,  who  has  performed  his  task  against  Medusa. 
There  is  also  a sanctuary  of  Brauronian  Artemis.” 

Where  were  these  various  objects?  The  base  of  the 
statue  of  Athena  Hygieia  rests  in  situ  in  front  of  the  south- 
east column  of  the  Propylaea;  the  entrance  into  the 
precinct  of  Artemis  Brauronia  is  some  forty  feet  to  the  east 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


2 53 

(Fig.  152).  These  are  fixed  points.  If  Pausanias  is  follow- 
ing a strictly  topographical  order,  the  bronze  lioness, 
Aphrodite,  Dieitrephes,  the  “less  important  images,”  and 
Hygieia  should  lie  within  the  Propylaea  or  immediately 
before  the  east  portico.  Except  for  the  words  of  Pausanias 
we  have  no  clew  to  the  situation  of  any  of  the  group  save 


Fig.  152.  — Plan  of  the  precinct  of  Hygieia. 

A — corner  of  Propylaea;  B — steps  at  entrance  of  precinct  of  Brauronian  Artemis;  C — base 
of  statue  of  Athena  Hygieia;  D — altar  of  Hygieia. 


for  the  statement  of  Plutarch  ( De  garrul.  8)  that  in  honor  of 
Leaena  the  Athenians  set  up  a tongueless  lioness  — - 
symbolizing  Leaena’s  silence  — “in  the  gates  of  the  Acro- 
polis,” and  a passage,  which  may  be  an  interpolation,  in 
Polyaenus  (8,  45)  stating  that  it  was  “in  the  Propylaeum  ;” 
but  these  passages  are  late  and  not  necessarily  to  be  inter- 
preted with  absolute  literalness  in  the  light  of  other  condi- 
tions. Neither  the  floor  nor  the  stylobate  of  the  east  portico 
of  the  Propylaea,  nor  the  rock  in  front  of  it,  shows  the  cus- 
tomary incisions  for  the  placing  of  bases  of  statues.  Further- 


254 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


more,  in  either  of  these  places  the  statues  would  seriously 
have  impeded  progress  through  the  doors  of  the  building. 
Now  in  front  of  the  base  of  Athena  Hygieia  are  the  remains 
of  a large  altar  (Figs.  152  and  153),  probably  the  one  beside 

which  Plutarch  says 
{Pericles  13)  the  statue 
of  Athena  was  set  up, 
and  which,  he  adds, 
“ existed  before,  as  they 
say.”  The  construction 
of  the  altar,  with  its 
broader  platform  on  the 
west,  shows  that  the  offi- 
ciating priest  must  have 
stood  with  his  back  to 
the  statue  of  Athena 
Hygieia,  but  undoubtedly  facing  the  cult  statue,  that  is,  of 
Hygieia,  to  the  east.  And  here,  east  of  the  altar  and  around 
it,  are  abundant  cuttings  for  bases  of  statues.  Here  accord- 
ingly we  may  with  greater  reason  look  for  the  location  of 
the  various  statues,  and  they  would  be  in  a group,  which 
would  account  for  Pausanias’s  deviation  from  a precise 
topographical  order  of  treatment. 

The  statue  of  Aphrodite  probably  stood  on  a.  base  of 
Pentelic  marble  which  formerly  lay  in  front  of  the  Propylaea 
but  now  seems  to  have  disappeared.1  It  bore  in  old  Attic 
letters  of  about  475  to  450  b.c.  the  inscription : “Callias 
son  of  Hipponicus  dedicated  it.”  This  Aphrodite  has 
been  identified  conjecturally  with  Calamis’s  famous  Sosan- 
dra,  which  is  praised  by  Lucian.  His  ideal  statue,  he  says 
{I mag.  6),  “ Sosandra  and  Calamis  shall  adorn  with  modesty, 
and  its  grave  and  furtive  smile  will  be  like  hers ; the  trim 


1 At  any  rate  I have  been  unable  to  find  it. 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


255 


and  orderly  garb  will  also  come  from  Sosandra,  save  that 
the  head  will  be  uncovered.” 

Another  base  found  west  of  the  Parthenon,  near  where 
it  now  lies  (Fig.  154;  so  surrounded  by  other  bases  as  to 
be  difficult  of  access),  bears  the  inscription:  “Hermolycus 
son  of  Dieitrephes  [dedicated  this  as  a]  primal-offering ; 
Cresilas  made  it.”  The  in- 
cisions on  the  top  of  this  base 
are  very  shallow,  and  the 
statue  which  it  bore  must 
have  been  small,  or  so 
crouched  as  to  bring  the  cen- 
ter of  gravity  low.  Pliny 
speaks  of  a statue  by  Cresilas 
representing  a man  “ wounded 
and  fainting,  in  whom  one  can 
see  how  little  life  remains.” 

Pausanias’s  “ old-world  Se- 
bastian” may  be  the  same 
statue  and  may  have  occu- 
pied the  base  in  question,  but  the  Dieitrephes  supposed  by 
Pausanias  to  have  been  represented  was  alive  in  41 1 b.c., 
while  the  inscription  seems  to  be  a generation  older.  The 
discrepancy  cannot  now  be  explained. 

Among  the  “less  important  images”  which  Pausanias 
saw  must  have  been  the  one  of  the  mother  of  Isocrates, 
which,  we  are  told,  stood  “ beside  Hygieia.”  Hygieia 
herself  was  probably  represented  as  a maiden  accompanied 
by  the  sacred  serpent  of  the  Asclepiad  cult.  The  base  of 
a statue  dedicated  to  Augusta  Hygieia,  that  is,  to  Livia, 
the  wife  of  Augustus,  was  found  in  the  east  portico  of  the 
Propylaea. 

The  base  of  the  statue  of  Hygieia  still  occupies  its  old 


Fig.  154.  — Base  of  a statue  by 
Cresilas,  perhaps  that  of  the 
statue  of  Dieitrephes. 

The  inscription  on  the  base  has  been  retouched. 


256  ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 

position,  slightly  overlapping  the  stylobate  of  the  Propylaea 
at  its  southeast  corner  and  covering  the  drainage  channel 
at  the  foot  of  the  column  before  which  it  stands  (Fig.  155). 
It  is  a trifle  more  than  semicircular  in  form,  about  3 feet 
in  diameter  and  1.3  feet  high,  and  has  a molding  at  top 

and  bottom.  On  its 
northeast  face  is  the  in- 
scription: “ The  Athe- 
nians to  Athena  Hygieia; 
Pyrrhus  the  Athenian 
made  it.”  The  deep 
markings  for  the  feet 
show  that  the  statue  was 
of  bronze,  of  about  life- 
size,  and  that  it  stood 
with  the  weight  on  the 
advanced  right  foot. 
According  to  Plutarch 
(. Pericles  13)  the  statue 
was  set  up  by  Pericles 
in  gratitude  for  the  miraculous  healing  of  a favorite  work- 
man who  fell  from  the  Propylaea.  Pliny  relates  {Nat. 
hist.  22,  44)  the  same  story  but  brings  it  into  connection 
with  “a  temple,”  presumably  the  Parthenon,  and  mentions 
a statue  of  the  workman  rather  than  that  of  Athena.  On 
these  and  certain  structural  grounds  the  ascription  to 
Pericles  has  been  questioned  by  some,  but  for  reasons  which 
seem  inadequate.  Plutarch’s  story  is  clear  and  circum- 
stantial. 

South  of  this  base  is  another,  apparently  for  a stele,  and 
before  it  is  part  of  a marble  barrier  designed  to  divert  the 
rain-water.  A large  base,  whose  use  is  unknown,  lies  west 
of  the  barrier.  In  front  of  the  base  of  Athena  Hygieia 


Fig.  155.  — Base  of  statue  of  Athena 
Hygieia,  in  front  of  the  southeast  column 
of  the  Propylaea. 


The  inscription  reads:  ’ K9r)valoi  rfj  ’A9rjvaia  Trj 
'Yyteta  • IIvppos  enoirjaev  ’A0r]valo<:. 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


257 


and  partly  resting  on  earth,  therefore  of  a later  date,  is  a 
large,  fiat  block  of  marble  with  holes  for  the  erection  of  a 
sacrificial  table. 

The  stone  on  which  the  Silenus  sat  is  otherwise  unknown. 
The  bronze  boy  holding  the  lustral  basin  may  have  stood 
at  the  entrance  to  the  Brauro- 
nium,  whose  steps  are  still  visi- 
ble. Lycius  has  already  been 
mentioned  as  the  sculptor  of  the 
bronze  horsemen  (p.  239).  Pliny 
also  speaks  of  a Perseus  of 
Myron,  possibly  the  one  named 
by  Pausanias ; it  may  be  repre- 
sented in  existing  replicas  (Fig. 

156). 

The  precinct  of  Artemis  Brau- 
ronia  is  the  westerly  sloping 
trapezoidal  area  southeast  of  the 
Propylaea  (Figs.  152  and  157). 

The  old  Pelasgic  wall  bounds  it 
on  the  west,  the  Cimonian  cir- 
cuit wall  on  the  south,  while  on 
the  east  the  rock  is  hewn  down 
at  the  edge  of  the  terrace  beyond.  On  the  north  the 
precinct  was  originally  larger,  but  when  the  Propylaea 
were  built,  the  rock  was  cut  down  vertically  in  a line 
parallel  with  the  new  building  and  a precinct  wall  con- 
structed, the  west  end  of  which  remains  to  a considerable 
height.  The  sides  of  the  area  measure  about  130  feet  on 
the  east  and  south  and  140  and  60  feet  on  the  north  and 
west  respectively.  The  entrance  is  formed  by  eight 
broad  and  low  steps  hewn  in  the  rock  at  the  northeast 


Fig.  156.  — Head  supposed  to 
be  a copy  of  the  Perseus  of 
Myron  (British  Museum, 
London) . 


corner. 


Pe/as 


258  ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


Along  the  south  and  east  sides  of  the  area  are  parts  of 
the  foundations  of  two  colonnades,  meeting  at  the  southeast 
corner  and  extending  thence  to  the  boundaries  of  the  pre- 
cinct. The  east  stoa  seems  to  have  had  ten  columns  on  its 
front,  the  more  southerly  being  half  columns  before  a 
closed  wall.  In  the  little  room  thus  formed  are  cuttings 
for  bases ; here  the  statues  of  Artemis  may  have  stood,  for 


/South  Wall  of  the  *Acropo  Its  ■ Jg 


Fig.  157.  — Plan  of  the  precincts  between  the  Propylaea  and  the  Parthenon, 

restored. 


the  precinct  seems  to  have  had  no  temple.  The  columnia- 
tion  of  the  other  stoa  is  uncertain. 

Pausanias  informs  us:  “The  statue  is  the  work  of 

Praxiteles,  and  the  goddess  has  her  name  from  the  deme 
of  Brauron ; the  ancient  xoanon  is  in  Brauron,  the  Taurian 
Artemis,  as  they  call  it.”  From  inscriptions,  however,  we 
learn  that  the  precinct  contained  two  cult  statues,  an 
ancient  “hedos”  of  stone  and  a standing  image.  If  the 
old  xoanon  brought  from  the  land  of  the  Taurians  was 
at  Brauron,  or  at  Sparta,  as  Pausanias  elsewhere  holds 
(3,  16,  9),  the  Acropolis  precinct  had  one  also.  We  have 
no  clew  as  to  its  type  unless  by  inference  from  the  name 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


259 


hedos  and  by  contrast  with  the  other,  which  is  explicitly 
called  “ standing”  or  “ erect,”  we  infer  that  it  was  a seated 
figure.  The  type  of  the  later  statue  by  Praxiteles  is  also 
doubtful ; we  possess  no  description  of  it.  The  conjecture 

that  it  was  the  original  of  the 
statue  in  the  Louvre,  called 
Diana  of  Gabii  (Fig.  158),  is  in- 
teresting but  unproved. 

A remarkable  series  of  inscrip- 
tions datable  about  the  middle 
of  the  fourth  century  b.c.  records 
a quantity  of  votive  offerings 
stored  in  the  precinct  and  the 
names  of  their  donors,  who,  of 
course,  were  women,  since  the 
goddess  was  Artemis.  The 
places  where  the  objects  were 
stored  are  given  as  “next  to  the 
wall,”  or  “in  the  prostomium,” 
or  “in  the  chest,”  or  “next  to 
the  pilaster,”  or  “next  to  the 
column  where  is  the  doe,”  or 
“next  to  the  doe,”  and  the  like. 
The  inventory  is  made  up  mostly 
of  cast-off  raiment  dedicated  to 
Artemis.  Some  of  the  entries 
are:  “a  white  cloak  edged  with  purple,  which  clothes  the 
stone  hedos;”  “a  wrap  inscribed  ‘Sanctuary  of  Artemis/ 
about  the  standing  statue — -dedicated  by  Theano;”  “a 
white  circular,  uninscribed,  about  the  standing  statue,  in 
rags;”  “a  mirror  with  an  ivory  handle,  next  to  the  wall 
— dedicated  by  Aristodamea ; ” “a  new  embroidered  cape 
with  a design  of  Dionysus  making  a libation  and  a woman 


Fig.  158.  — “Diana  of  Gabii,” 
supposed  to  be  a copy  of 
Brauronian  Artemis  by  Prax- 
iteles (Louvre  Museum, 
Paris) . 


26o 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


pouring  wine.”  A marble  bear  in  the  Acropolis  Museum 
was  probably  one  of  the  offerings. 

On  and  about  the  steps  at  the  entrance,  and  elsewhere  in 
the  precinct,  are  cuttings  for  the  placing  of  inscriptional 
stelae,  which  have  now  disappeared. 

Adjoining  the  Brauronium  on  the  east,  and  somewhat 
higher,  is  a larger  trapezoidal  area  (Figs.  133  and  157).  On 
its  eastern  side  is  a flight  of  eight  or  nine  steps  communicat- 
ing with  the  area,  formerly  paved,  behind  the  Parthenon. 
The  steps  that  remain  are  mostly  hewn  in  the  rock,  but 
originally  they  extended  to  the  south  wall  of  the  Acropolis, 
the  addition  being  constructed  in  part  of  stones  from  the 
Old  Temple  (p.  316).  Cuttings  in  the  steps  show  that 
numerous  inscriptional  stelae  were  set  up  here. 

The  north  half  of  the  area  is  roughly  hewn  to  a level, 
but  its  purpose  is  not  known.  Along  the  south  side  ex- 
tended a large  building,  134.5  feet  in  length  and  49  feet 
wide,  fronted  by  a colonnade  11.5  feet  deep;  the  main 
building  is  so  deep  that  a middle  row  of  columns  may  be 
assumed.  At  present  only  the  rock-cut  bedding  for  the 
walls  and  a few  stones  of  the  foundation  are  left;  these 
are  of  poros,  Acropolis  limestone,  and  debris  from  pre- 
Persian  buildings,  suggesting  a date  before  the  time  of 
Pericles.  The  front  colonnade  cuts  into  the  steps  along  the 
east  side  of  the  area,  apparently  indicating  that  the  colon- 
nade was  either  destroyed  when  the  steps  were  made,  or 
not  built  until  after  they  had  fallen  into  disuse. 

The  purpose  of  this  building  is  still  in  dispute.  The 
most  plausible  suggestion  is  that  it  was  the  Chaleo  theca, 
which  is  mentioned  in  inscriptions  of  the  latter  half  of  the 
fourth  century  b.c.  as  a storehouse  for  numerous  treasures 
of  Athena,  as  well  as  an  armamentarium  for  the  preserva- 
tion of  shields,  war-engines,  and,  upon  occasion,  the  equip- 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


261 


ment  of  a hundred  war-galleys.  This  attribution  is  based 
on  the  size  of  the  structure  in  question,  which  seems  to  be 
the  only  unidentified  building  on  the  Acropolis  large  enough 
to  meet  the  demands  of  the  Chalcotheca ; the  inconsistency 
of  dates  may  be  obviated  on  the  theory  that  the  building 
was  first  constructed,  with  or  without  the  colonnade,  for 
some  other  purpose. 

After  leaving  the  precinct  of  Artemis  Brauronia  Pausanias 
mentions  a series  of  interesting  statues  which  cannot  be  lo- 
cated with  certainty  until  we  come  to  the  statue  of  Earth, 
situated  north  of  the  west  end  of  the  Parthenon  (pp.  267  fL). 
We  can  be  sure  only  that  they  must  have  stood  between  the 
Brauronium  and  the  statue  of  Earth,  or  in  the  Brauronium. 

“The  Wooden  Horse,  as  it  is  called,  is  set  up  in  bronze. 
That  the  creation  of  Epeius  was  a contrivance  for  the  de- 
struction of  the  wall  every  one  knows  who  does  not  attribute 
folly  to  the  Trojans.  This  horse  is  said  to  have  contained 
the  bravest  of  the  Greeks  and  so  with  the  figure  of  the 
bronze  horse,  out  of 
which  are  peeping 
Menestheus  and  Teu- 
cer  besides  the  sons  of 
Theseus.”  A scholiast 
on  the  Birds  of  Aristo- 
phanes adds  (v.  1128) 
the  information  that 
the  horse  bore  the  in- 
scription : “ Chaerede- 
mus  of  Coele  son  of 
Evangelus  dedicated  it.”  But  the  scholiast  neglected 
to  speak  of  the  additional  inscription  below  the  other : 
“Strongylion  made  it.”  The  entire  inscription  is  now  to 
be  read  on  the  end  of  the  base,  which  lies  near  the  west 


Fig.  159.  — Base  of  the  “ Wooden  Horse  ” 
of  bronze  made  by  Strongylion. 


The  inscription  reads:  X<upe8rjju.o?  EvayyeKov 
K01.A.TJ9  aveOrjuev  ' 2 TpoyyvXiitiv  enoiriaep. 


262 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


end  of  the  Brauronium.  Four  of  the  original  six  marble 
blocks  are  left  (Fig.  159) ; the  base  was  about  11.5  feet  in 
length.  Where  the  horse  was  located  we  do  not  know. 
Two  of  the  extant  blocks  were  found  in  the  precinct  where 
the  base  now  lies,  and  here  it  may  have  stood. 

Pausanias’s  next  words,  “Of  the  statues  that  stand  after 
the  horse,”  seem  to  be  followed  by  a lacuna,  and  then  he 

continues  : “ Critias  made  the  image 
of  Epicharinus,  who  practiced  run- 
ning in  heavy  armor.”  The  base  of 
this  statue  also  has  been  found,  and 
now  lies  to  the  northwest  of  the  Par- 
thenon along  the  main  way  to  the 
east  (Fig.  160).  The  mutilated  in- 
scription reads:  “Epicharinus  the 

dedicated  it ; Critius  and  Nesi- 

otes  made  it.”  The  missing  word 
cannot  be  deciphered,  and  we  find 
that  Pausanias  has  mentioned  only 
one  of  the  two  artists,  that  too  with  a 
wrong  spelling  of  the  name,  according  to  all  the  manuscripts. 
Critius  and  Nesiotes  we  have  met  as  the  sculptors  of  the 
famous  group  of  the  Tyrannicides  (pp.  105  ff.),  and  their 
names  are  found  on  other  bases  on  the  Acropolis.  The 
sockets  on  the  top  of  the  base  show  that  the  figure  of  Epi- 
charinus was  of  bronze  and  rested  on  one  foot  and  faced 
the  left,  as  one  looks  at  the  inscription. 

“The  efforts  of  Oenobius  were  useful  to  Thucydides  son 
of  Olorus,  for  Oenobius  was  successful  in  getting  passed 
the  decree  for  Thucydides  to  return  to  Athens.  . . . The 
facts  relating  to  Hermolycus  the  pancratiast  and  Phormio 
son  of  Asopichus  I pass  by,  since  others  have  narrated 
them;”  but  then  Pausanias  adds  the  story  of  Phormio’s 


Fig.  160.  — Base  of  the 
statue  of  Epicharinus  by 
Critios  and  Nesiotes. 


Along  the  upper  edge  is  the  in- 
scrlption:  ’E  n t [\]  apt  vo  s 
[aj'eJOrjKey  6 KpiTt'os  /cat 

NeaFJcoTTj?  e7ro[trj<7]aTTji'. 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


263 


debts,  which  were  paid  by  the  Athenians,  in  order  that  he 
might  become  their  admiral.  Evidently  the  presence  of 
statues  of  these  three  men  was  the  reason  for  Pausanias’s 
mention  of  their  names,  but  this  is  all  we 
know  about  them. 

In  regard  to  the  next  statue  we  are 
more  fortunate.  “Here  has  been  made  an 
Athena  striking  the  Silenus  Marsyas,  be- 
cause he  picked  up  the  flutes  when  she 
wished  them  to  be  thrown  away.”  Pliny  ^and^Marsyls* 
in  speaking  of  the  sculptor  Myron  refers  Athenian  coin, 
to  the  same  statues  when  he  says  {Nat. 
hist.  34,  57) : “He  made  also  a Satyr  wondering  at  the 
flutes  and  a Minerva,”  which  gives  us  the  name  of  the 
artist.  The  motif  of  the  group  is  indicated  in  various  re- 
productions, such  as  coins  (Fig.  161),  vase-paintings  (Fig. 
162),  and  a large  marble  urn  (Fig.  163).  While  differing 

in  details  these  agree 
in  their  general  fea- 
tures. Athena  and 
Marsyas  stand  oppo- 
site each  other  and 
apparently  are  look- 
ing at  the  flutes  which 
lie  on  the  ground  be- 
tween them.  None 
of  the  copies  seems 
to  depict  Athena  as 
striking  Marsyas,  nor  is  Marsyas  in  the  act  of  picking 
up  the  flutes,  but  springing  back  with  his  hands  uplifted 
in  wonder.  Pausanias  may  have  misunderstood  the  artist’s 
conception,  or  the  copies  may  be  inexact. 

Upon  this  and  similar  evidence  two  excellent  figures  of 


Fig.  162.  — Athena  and  Marsyas;  vase 
painting. 


264 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


Marsyas  have  been  identified,  a life-sized  marble  statue  in 
the  Lateran  Museum  at  Rome,  the  hands  of  which  have  been 
wrongly  restored  with  castanets,  and  a bronze  statuette, 

of  the  same  type  but  of  later 
period,  in  the  British  Museum. 
The  technique  of  the  marble  as 
well  as  of  the  statuette  shows 
that  the  statue  of  Myron  was  of 
bronze.  Quite  recently  several 
good  copies  of  the  Athena  be- 
longing to  the  group  have  also 
been  identified.  These  include 
headless  statues  of  marble  in 
Frankfort,  Madrid,  Toulouse, 
Paris,  and  Rome,  and  a helmeted 
head  in  Dresden.  With  the  aid 
of  the  coins  and  other  reproduc- 
tions these  have  now  been 
brought,  in  plaster  casts,  into  a 
group  (Fig.  164)  which  can  differ 
from  the  original  only  in  minor 
details  — a striking  illustration  of  what  the  application  of 
scientific  method  is  accomplishing  in  the  restoration  of  lost 
works  of  ancient  art. 

“ Beyond  those  that  I have  mentioned  is  what  is  termed 
the  fight  of  Theseus  with  the  bull  called  the  Bull  of  Minos, 
whether  this  was  a man  or,  as  the  tradition  has  it,  a beast.” 
This  cautious  description  may  be  a partial  apology  for 
applying  the  name  to  a man  with  a bull’s  head;  at  any 
rate  such  is  the  type  of  Minotaur  which  appears  oftenest  on 
coins  (Fig.  165),  vases,  and  other  works  of  art.  Whether 
or  not  these  representations  were  influenced  by  the  statue 
in  question  is  doubtful. 


Fig.  163.  — Athena  and  Mar- 
syas, on  the  “ Finlay  vase  ” 
(National  Museum,  Athens). 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


265 


“Here  too  is  Phrixus  son  of  Athamas,  brought  to  Colchis 
by  the  ram ; he  has  sacrificed  it  to  some  god  — perhaps  to 


Laphystian  Zeus,  as  he  is  called  by  the  Orchomenians  — 
and  having  cut  out  the  thigh-pieces,  according  to  the  usage 
of  the  Greeks,  is  watching  them  as  they  burn.”  If  this  is 
the  same  as  a statue  of  Naucydes  described  by  Pliny 
(Nat.  hist.  34,  80)  as  “a  man  sacrificing  a 
ram,”  it  may  have  stood  on  an  extant  base 
bearing  the  inscription,  in  letters  of  the 
fourth  century:  “[N]aucydes  the  Argive 
made  it ; ” unhappily  the  first  letter  is  not 
sure. 

“After  these,  among  other  statues,  is  one  Fig.  165.  — Theseus 
of  Heracles,  who,  as  the  story  has  it,  is  .Mmo.taur’ 

strangling  the  serpents.  There  is  an 
Athena  rising  from  the  head  of  Zeus  (Fig.  166) ; also  a 
bull,  a votive  offering  of  the  Senate  of  the  Areopagus  — 
whatever  the  reason  may  be  why  the  Senate  dedicated  it ; 


266 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


any  one  who  wishes  may  make  many  guesses.”  From  other 
sources  we  learn  that  this  last  statue  was  of  bronze  and  that 
“the  bull  on  the  Acropolis”  became  proverbial  for  a thing 
strange  and  marvelous ; but  as  to  the  occasion  of  its  dedi- 
cation, “any  one  who  wishes  may  make  many  guesses,” 


Fig.  166.  — Birth  of  Athena  from  the  head  of  Zeus;  vase  painting. 

The  vase  painting  may  follow  a group  made  by  Alcamenes  in  competition  for  the  decoration 
of  the  east  pediment  of  the  Parthenon. 


and  modern  scholars  have  not  been  backward  in  accepting 
the  challenge. 

“I  have  said  before  that  the  Athenians  are  more  zealous 
than  others  in  matters  divine  [p.  127];  so  they  were  the 
first  to  name  Athena  the  Worker  (Ergane),  the  first  [to 

dedicate  ?]  the  limbless  herms and  at  the  same  time 

they  have  in  the  temple  a divinity  called  Earnestness  (Spou- 
daeon).”  Without  much  doubt  the  text  of  Pausanias 
is  mutilated  here,  and  we  are  left  in  perplexity  as  to  the 
identity  of  “the  temple.”  The  most  commonly  accepted 
hypothesis  is  that  a temple  of  Worker  Athena,  containing 
also  the  image  of  Earnestness,  stood  on  the  terrace  east 
of  the  Brauronium  and  in  front  of  the  large  building  which 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


267 


we  have  called  the  Chalcotheca  (pp.  260  f.).  No  traces  of 
such  a temple  have  been  found,  but  the  space  for  one  is 
ample  and  its  bedding  may  have  been  hewn  away.  Various 
inscriptions  mentioning  Worker  Athena  have  been  dis- 
covered, at  least  three  of  them  in  or  near  the  area  in  ques- 
tion. On  the  other  hand  Pausanias  may  be  referring  to 
the  temple  of  some  other  divinity ; owing  to  the  lacuna  the 
statement  is  not  clear. 

“Any  one  who  sets  greater  store  by  works  that  have 
been  cleverly  made  than  by  those  that  go  back  into  antiq- 
uity will  be  interested  in  seeing  a man  wearing  a helmet, 
the  work  of  Cleoetas ; 
the  finger-nails  Cleoetas 
inlaid  with  silver.” 

Later  on  in  his  descrip- 
tion of  Olympia  Pausa- 
nias adds  (6,  20)  that 
Cleoetas  invented  the 
starting-place  in  the  hip- 
podrome there,  and  that 
he  was  so  proud  of  his 
deed  that  he  inscribed  on 
this  statue  at  Athens : 

“The  man  who  invented 
the  starting-place  of  the 
horses  at  Olympia,  Cle- 
oetas son  of  Aristocles, 
wrought  me.”  Cleoetas 
seems  to  have  lived  in 
the  fifth  century  b.c. 

After  this  long  list  of 
uncertain  locations  we 
“There  is  also  a statue 


Fig.  167.  — Inscription  and  bedding  for 
statue  of  Fruit-bearing  Earth. 

The  inscription,  slightly  retouched  in  the  illustration, 
reads:  rr}s  Kapnocfropov  Kara  p-avreiav. 


come  again  to  a fixed  point, 
of  Earth  praying  Zeus  for  rain, 


268 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


whether  begging  for  a shower  on  behalf  of  the  Athe- 
nians alone,  or  on  occasion  of  a general  drought  over 
all  Greece.”  About  ten  yards  north  of  the  Parthenon 
and  in  front  of  the  seventh  column  from  the  west  a 
quadrangular  depression  is  cut  in  the  rock,  which  is 
unquestionably  the  site  of  the  statue  of  Earth;  for  just 


Fig.  168.  — Ge  rising  from  the  ground,  contest  of  Poseidon  and  Polybotes; 
vase  of  Erginus  and  Aristophanes. 


behind  it,  on  a space  smoothed  for  the  purpose,  is  cut  the 
inscription:  “Of  Earth  the  fruit-bearer  (Carpophorus) 

according  to  the  oracle”  (Fig.  167).  The  statue  may  have 
had  no  base ; it  was,  perhaps,  in  the  form  of  a matronly 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


269 


Fig.  169.  — Lower  part  of  base  of  statues 
of  Conon  and  Timotheus. 


woman,  the  personification  of  Earth,  arising  from  the  ground 
with  arms  uplifted,  as  in  various  ancient  representations 
(Fig.  168).1  The  inscription  and  the  bedding  for  the  statue 
have  now  been  surrounded  with  an  iron  fence. 

Behind  the  inscription  of  Earth  lie  three  blocks  of  marble 
belonging  to  a slightly  curved  base  (Fig.  169)  and  bearing 
an  inscription  which  read 
when  complete  : “ Conon 
son  of  Timotheus  ; 

Timotheus  son  of 
Conon.”  The  blocks 
were  found  near  the  spot 
where  they  now  lie  and 
belong  to  the  statues  of 
which  Pausanias  says : 

“Here  also  are  placed  Timotheus  son  of  Conon,  and  Conon 
himself.”  The  foundation  seems  to  have  been  composed 
of  four  blocks  ; the  one  at  the  left  end  is  lost.  The  cramp- 
marks  upon  the  upper  surface  show  that  upon  these  blocks 
the  base  which  bore  the  statues  rested.  Other  statues  of 
these  men  were  placed  in  the  Agora  (p.  91). 

Between  this  spot  and  the  front  of  the  Parthenon  must 
have  stood  the  statues  which  Pausanias  next  mentions: 
“Procne  planning  the  death  of  her  son,  both  herself  and 
Itys,  were  dedicated  by  Alcamenes.  Athena  displaying  the 
olive-plant  and  Poseidon  showing  the  wave  have  also  been 
made.”  The  group  of  Athena  and  Poseidon  probably  dif- 
fered little  from  the  contest  represented  in  the  west  pediment 
of  the  Parthenon  (pp.  288  f.).  The  type  is  portrayed,  with 
differences  in  detail,  in  numerous  works  of  art  (Fig.  170). 


^suggestion  has  recently  been  made  that  the  figure  was  seated  upon,  or 
rested  its  feet  upon,  an  omphalos.  The  site  is  precisely  at  the  middle  of 
the  Acropolis. 


270 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


“ There  is  also  a statue  of  Zeus  by  Leochares,  and  another 
named  Guardian  of  the  city  (Polieus).”  Probably  these 
were  in  or  near  the  precinct  of  Zeus,  otherwise  known  as 
the  “seats  and  lot  of  Zeus”  or  the  “ballot  of  Zeus,”  situated 
near  the  northeast  corner  of  the  Parthenon.  In  this 
precinct  Zeus  is  said  to  have  decided  the  contest  of  Athena 
and  Poseidon.  The  sanctuary  had  a bronze  table  for 


Fig.  170.  — Contest  of  Athena  and  Poseidon;  vase  painting. 


bloodless  sacrifices  and  perhaps  an  altar ; here  were  per- 
formed the  extraordinary  rites  of  the  ancient  festival  of 
Diipolia. 

THE  PARTHENON 

We  are  now  at  the  east  end,  the  front,  of  the  Parthenon, 
the  temple  of  the  Parthenos,  the  Virgin  Goddess, — per- 
haps the  most  perfect  work  of  architecture  that  the  genius 
of  man  has  created.  Pericles  was,  in  general,  the  sponsor 
of  the  building ; Ictinus  and  Callicrates  were  the  architects. 
The  general  oversight  of  the  work  is  said  by  Plutarch  to 
have  been  in  the  hands  of  Pheidias,  but  the  truth  of  this 
statement  has  been  doubted.  At  all  events  Pheidias  made 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


271 


the  splendid  gold  and  ivory  cult  statue  of  Athena  which 
stood  in  the  cella ; whether  or  not  he  made  other  parts 
of  the  sculptural  ornaments  we  do  not  know.  The  building 
probably  was  begun  in  the  year  447  b.c.,  though  some 
scholars  would  set  the  initial  date  from  three  to  seven  years 
earlier.  Pheidias’s  great  statue  of  the  goddess  was  ready 
and  was  installed  in  438  b.c.,  and  the  temple  must  have  been 
nearly  finished  at  that  time,  but  work  of  some  kind  was 
still  in  progress  five  or  six  years  later.  Practically  the  entire 
structure  above  the  foundation  was  built  of  white  Pentelic 
marble ; this  the  oxidization  of  the  centuries  has  covered 
with  the  golden-brown  patina  which  adds  so  much  to  the 
charm  of  the  imposing  ruins  to-day. 

The  present  Parthenon  was  not  the  first  building  on  the 
site.  Two  earlier  temples,  or,  more  accurately,  two  earlier 


0 10  20  Meters,  o 10  20  30  40  so  Feet. 


Fig.  171.  — Plan  of  Pre-Persian  Parthenon. 


stages  of  the  same  temple,  preceded  it,  but  were  never 
brought  to  completion.  Substantially  the  same  foundation 
served  for  the  three  buildings,  but  the  earlier  structures  were 
longer  and  narrower  than  the  last  (Fig.  171).  The  exten- 
sion of  the  foundation  to  the  east,  about  fourteen  feet  be- 


272 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


yond  the  present  structure,  is  clearly  visible.  The  original 
northwest  corner  can  be  detected  by  the  difference  of  con- 
struction in  the  foundation  at  the  northwest  corner  of  the 

Parthenon  (Fig.  172). 

Along  its  north  side 
the  foundation  of  the 
first  temple  rose  little 
above  the  level  of  the 
rock ; on  the  south  side, 
near  the  southeast  cor- 
ner, it  goes  down  to  a 
depth  of  about  forty  feet. 
As  recent  investigations 
have  shown,  this  podium 
seems  to  be  a solid  mass 
of  poros  blocks  laid  in 
courses.  On  the  south  side  can  be  seen  the.  lower  two  of 
the  poros  steps  which  led  up  to  the  temple.  The  super- 
structure also  was  probably  designed  to  be  of  poros.  Esti- 
mating from  the  extant  steps,  the  temple  must  have  meas- 
ured about  246  by  97  feet  on  the  stylobate  or  basis  of  the 
columns.  It  was  to  be  hexastyle,  with  great  Doric  columns 
of  poros,  like  those  of  the  earlier  temple  of  Olympian  Zeus 
(p.  162).  The  plan  of  the  cella  cannot  be  determined. 

When  the  construction  of  this  first  temple  was  commenced 
we  can  only  conjecture.  Perhaps  the  most  likely  period 
is  that  of  Cleisthenes,  after  the  expulsion  of  the  Peisis- 
tratids  at  the  end  of  the  sixth  century  b.c.  At  all  events 
this  was  an  epoch  of  great  building  activity.  But  some 
unknown  circumstance,  possibly  the  first  invasion  of  the 
Persians,  brought  the  work  to  a standstill,  apparently 
soon  after  the  foundation  was  completed. 

Who  was  responsible  for  the  resumption  of  work  on  the 


Fig.  172. — Northwest  corner  of 
Parthenon. 


The  extension  of  the  foundation  begins  just  below 
the  man. 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


273 


temple,  we  can  only  guess.  Possibly  the  builder  was  Aris- 
teides  the  Just,  who  was  “overseer  of  public  revenues  ” in 
489/ 8 b.c.,  shortly  after  the  Battle  of  Marathon.  The  plan 
of  the  building  was  now  considerably  altered.  Its  size  was 
contracted,  the  dimensions  being  about  222  feet  by  77  feet 
on  the  stylobate,  thus  leaving  a border  of  the  podium  from 
seven  to  ten  feet  wide  around  the  temple.  The  lowest  step, 
of  Kara  limestone  profiled  in  three  fasciae,  is  still  in  situ 
along  most  of  the  south  side,  behind  the  lowest  step  of  the 
Parthenon.  Its  southwest  corner  can  be  seen  about  ten  feet 
from  the  west  end  of  the  Parthenon,  where  a piece  of  the 
step  of  the  Parthenon  is  broken  away,  and  its  continuation 
is  visible  near  the  southeast  corner  of  the  Parthenon,  where 
a block  of  the  lowest  step  of  the  present  building  has  been 
pushed  forward  (Fig.  178).  The  profiled  edge  is  also  to  be 
traced  on  the  east  edge  of  the  old  foundation  and  in  a pit  in 
the  north  corridor ; the  latter  furnished  a datum  for  esti- 
mating the  width  of  the  building.  The  step  above  this  one 
of  Kara  stone,  and  the  third  step,  or  stylobate,  were  of  Pen- 
telic  marble,  which  was  also  to  be  the  material  of  the  super- 
structure. This  temple,  like  the  first,  was  to  be  hexastyle, 
with  six  Doric  columns  across  the  ends  and  sixteen  columns 
along  each  side.  A considerable  number  of  unfinished 
drums  of  the  columns  lie  about  the  Acropolis,  and  twenty-six 
are  built  into  its  north  wall  northeast  of  the  Erechtheum 
(Fig.  24).  Many  of  the  drums  are  fluted  at  the  bottom; 
this  was  done  to  guide  the  stonecutters  in  completing  the 
flutings  after  the  columns  were  all  in  place.  Other  drums 
have  no  flutings,  therefore  were  not  lower  drums ; a study 
of  the  series  makes  it  seem  probable  that  the  columns  were 
erected  to  the  height  of  only  two  drums  when  the  work  ceased. 

The  cella  was  to  be  tetrastyle,  with  four  columns  across 
the  ends.  Its  walls  had  a molded  base  resting  on  two 


274 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


steps.  One  block  (Fig.  173),  which  originally  formed  the 
base  of  either  the  southeast  or  the  northwest  anta,  has 
recently  been  found  beneath  a broken  portion  of  the  floor 
of  the  Parthenon ; similar  blocks,  whose  moulded  face  can 
be  felt  by  thrusting  the  arm  into  the  interstices  of  the  wall, 
are  built  into  the  Parthenon  at  the  entrance  to  the  Turkish 

minaret  at  the  southwest  cor- 
ner of  the  building.  Besides 
these,  other  blocks,  some 
of  them  having  double-T- 
shaped  cramps  smaller  than 
those  of  the  Parthenon,  are 
built  into  the  present  temple. 
The  plan  of  the  cella  is  con- 
jectural ; apparently  it  was 
similar  to  that  of  the  Peri- 
clean  temple. 

The  foundation  and  the  columns  of  the  second  temple 
bear  manifest  signs  of  calcination ; this  fact,  and  evidence 
derived  from  a study  of  the  walls  south  of  the  Parthenon, 
seem  to  justify  the  conclusion  that  the  temple  was  burned 
in  scaffold  at  the  time  of  the  capture  of  the  Acropolis  by 
the  Persians  in  480  b.c.  If  so,  it  must  have  been  left  in 
ruins  for  an  entire  generation. 

Something  has  been  said  about  the  walls  (Fig.  174) 
which  the  excavators  of  the  Acropolis  uncovered  just  south 
of  the  Parthenon.  These  include  a part  of  the  foundations 
of  a large  rectangular  building,  which  seems  to  have  been 
a workshop  for  the  builders  of  the  Parthenon,  and  a series 
of  terrace  walls ; the  position  of  these  and  the  strata  about 
them  bear  an  important  relation  to  the  study  of  the  vari- 
ous stages  of  the  temple.  The  matter  is  too  extended  for 
our  present  consideration. 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


27  5 


A faint  tradition  has  been  preserved  of  an  oath  alleged 
to  have  been  taken  by  the  Greek  states  after  the  Persian 
Wars  not  to  rebuild  the  temples  which  the  invader  had  de- 
stroyed, but  to  leave  them  as  perpetual  memorials  of  Per- 
sian impiety.  This  may  account  for  the  long  inactivity. 
About  the  middle  of  the  fifth  century  Pericles  is  said  to 
have  proposed  an  interstate  congress,  to  consider  the  re- 
building of  the  ruined  temples.  The  scheme  fell  through, 
but  Athens  now  had  an  abundance  of  funds  derived  from 
the  treasury  of  the  Confederacy  of  Delos,  and  Pericles 
may  have  resolved  to  carry  out  his  project  alone.  At  any 


X 


rate  the  building  of  the  Parthenon  was  again  undertaken, 
and  this  time  the  temple  was  brought  to  completion 
(Fig.  175). 

The  plan  once  more  was  materially  altered.  The  old 
podium  was  utilized,  though  it  was  widened  toward  the 
north,  now  measuring  250  by  105  feet,  the  length  of  the 
building  being  diminished  (Fig.  176).  On  the  stylobate  the 
temple  measures  about  228  by  101  feet.  It  rises  on  three 
steps,  of  which  the  lower  two  are  each  1.7  feet  high,  the 
uppermost,  or  stylobate,  a trifle  higher.  Marks  of  weather- 


Fig.  175.  — Parthenon,  from  the  northeast. 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


277 


ing  at  the  middle  of  either  end  show  that  half-steps  were 
here  introduced,  so  as  to  afford  easier  access.. 

The  temple  structure  (Fig.  175)  is  octastyle  and  perip- 
teral ; it  has  a surrounding  colonnade,  with  eight  columns 
at  the  ends  and  seventeen  on  each  side,  counting  corner 
columns  twice.  The  columns  in  most  instances  have  twelve 
drums ; their  lower  diameter  is  6.25  feet,  their  height  about 
34.2  feet;  they  have  twenty  flutings.  Above  the  colon- 


Fig.  176.  — Plan  of  the  Parthenon. 


nade  is  the  usual  Doric  entablature,  consisting  of  architrave, 
triglyph  frieze,  and  cornice.  The  building  was  originally 
covered  with  a roof  framed  of  wood,  upon  which  were  laid 
marble  tiles.  Antefixes  in  the  form  of  palmettes  crowned 
the  ridge  and  ran  along  the  eaves,  except  at  the  corners, 
which  were  terminated  by  lions’  heads.  On  the  sum- 
mits and  corners  of  the  gables  were  colossal  acroteria  in 
the  form  of  scrolls  and  palmettes. 

The  pteron,  or  corridor  inside  the  peristyle,  is  about 
sixteen  feet  wide  on  the  ends  and  fourteen  feet  on  the  sides. 
Like  the  rest  of  the  building,  it  is  floored  with  marble  ; orig- 
inally it  was  covered  with  a richly  coffered  marble  ceiling. 

The  temple  proper  is  elevated,  by  two  steps,  about  2.3 


278 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


feet  above  the  corridor,  and  is  193.6  feet  in  length  by  71.3 
feet  wide.  The  side  walls  and  the  cross-wall  are  3.8  feet 
thick;  the  end  walls  are  somewhat  heavier.  At  each  end 
is  a portico  formed  by  six  Doric  columns,  a little  smaller 
than  those  of  the  peristyle.  The  corner  columns  stand 
in  front  of  the  antae,  which  terminate  the  side  walls.  Be- 
tween the  antae  and  the  columns  an  iron  grating,  holes  for 
fastening  which  can  still  be  seen,  extended  up  to  the  archi- 
trave, transforming  the  porticoes  into  closed  rooms.  Above 
the  columns  was  the  usual  architrave  marked  off  by  regulae 
and  guttae,  but  instead  of  a frieze  of  triglyphs  and  metopes 
a continuous  Ionic  frieze  extended  above  the  columns  and 
around  the  entire  cella. 

The  sanctuary  (Fig.  177)  was  divided  by  a cross-wall  into 
two  separate  rooms ; this  wall  is  now  destroyed.  The 
marble  blocks  which  form  the  floor  are  9.5  inches  thick, 


Fig.  177.  — Interior  of  the  Parthenon,  from  the  east. 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


279 

the  thickness  being  increased  to  1 5 inches  where  they  carried 
columns  or  walls. 

The  larger  chamber,  or  cella,  to  the  east  was  ninety-eight 
feet  long  and  about  sixty-three  feet  wide.  It  was  divided 
lengthwise  into  a nave  and  side  aisles  by  two  rows  of  small 
Doric  columns.  The  columns  also  continued  across  the 
back  of  the  chamber,  forming  an  aisle  there  similar  to  those 
on  the  sides.  The  small  columns  supported  an  architrave, 
but  no  gallery,  and  above  them  similar  columns  supported 
the  coffered  ceiling.  So  great  is  the  span  that  we  may  as- 
sume that  the  ceiling  was  of  wood.  The  nave  has  a floor 
about  an  inch  lower  than  that  of  the  aisles.  It  was  divided 
further  into  three  nearly  equal  sections  by  a balustrade, 
traces  of  which  can  be  detected  on  the  floor.  The  balus- 
trade also  linked  together  the  central  columns  and  closed 
to  the  public  the  space  before  the  statue,  which  stood  in 
the  rear  third  of  the  nave.  The  greater  part  of  the  area 
covered  by  the  base  of  the  statue  is  floored  with  poros  in- 
stead of  marble,  and  in  the  center  of  the  area  is  a rectangu- 
lar hole  in  which  the  central  timber  of  the  inner  framework 
of  the  statue  was  probably  fixed. 

The  rear,  or  west,  chamber  was  about  forty-four  feet 
deep ; its  width  was  the  same  as  that  of  the  east  chamber. 
Its  coffered  ceiling  was  supported  by  four  lofty  columns, 
possibly  Ionic,  whose  location  is  indicated  by  square  blocks 
in  the  floor.  The  columns  divided  the  room  into  three 
nearly  equal  aisles. 

From  inscriptions  and  literary  references  we  learn  the 
names  of  the  different  chambers  of  the  temple.  The  east 
portico  was  the  Pronaos,  or  Proneion.  In  it  were  stored 
numerous  articles  of  value,  mentioned  in  the  treasure  lists 
of  the  goddess.  The  great  east  room,  the  cella,  in  which, 
besides  the  cult  statue,  there  were  other  works  of  art  and 


28o 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


treasures,  was  the  Hekatompedos  neos,  or  Hundred-foot 
temple.  This  name  it  carried  over  from  the  Old  Temple 
(p.  313)  because  of  its  length.  Careful  measurements  have 
shown  that  the  length  of  the  room  on  the  inside  is  exactly 
100  Aeginetan,  or  early  Attic,  feet,  the  foot  being  reckoned 
at  11.65  inches  by  English  standard;  including  the  front 
and  cross-walls,  the  length  is  100  Solonian,  or  later  Attic, 
feet,  the  Solonian  foot  being  equivalent  to  12.91  English 
inches.  The  Aeginetan  foot  is  in  general  the  standard  in 
the  construction  of  the  Parthenon  and  other  Periclean 
buildings.  For  the  earlier  buildings  on  the  site  of  the 
Parthenon  the  Solonian  foot  was  used. 

The  other  large  room  was  the  Parthenon,  or  chamber  of 
the  Parthenos ; later  the  designation  was  extended  to  the 
whole  temple.  This  room  may  have  been  intended  orig- 
inally as  a second  sanctuary,  but  it  came  to  be  the  most 
important  repository  for  treasures  of  all  sorts.  The  Thirty 
used  it  as  an  arsenal ; and  the  servile  Athenians  of  the  end 
of  the  fourth  century  b.c.  gave  it  over  as  the  place  of  resi- 
dence of  Demetrius  Poliorcetes,  who  desecrated  it  with  his 
immorality. 

Thus  far  the  nomenclature  is  secure ; but  whether  the 
name  Opisthodomos  belongs  to  the  rear  portico  or  to  a 
separate  building,  it  is  not  possible  now  to  determine.  All 
four  names,  Pronaos,  Hekatompedos  neos,  Parthenon, 
and  Opisthodomos,  are  found  in  the  same  inscriptions,  and 
Opisthodomos  is  the  usual  name  for  the  rear  room  or  por- 
tico of  a temple.  If  this  be  not  the  correct  designation 
here,  the  rear  portico  of  the  Parthenon  is  left  unnamed 
in  the  inscriptions.  On  the  other  hand  this  portico,  closed 
only  by  gratings,  has  seemed  to  some  to  be  unsuitable  as 
a storehouse  of  such  treasures  as  are  said  to  have  been 
preserved  in  the  Opisthodomos ; and  several  of  the  literary 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


281 


references  may  be  interpreted  as  referring  to  an  independ- 
ent building.  For  these  and  other  reasons  some  scholars 
would  give  the  name  to  the  rear  portion  of  the  Old  Temple 
(pp.  312  ff.) ; others,  to  the  building  which  we  have  called 
the  Chalcotheca,  or  to  another  building.  Although  the  evi- 
dence does  not  warrant  a positive  decision,  we  shall  prob- 
ably be  safe  if  we  call  the  rear  portico  of  the  Parthenon 
the  Opisthodomos,  and  leave  undetermined  the  question 
whether  all  the  treasures  referred  to  were  stored  here. 

Until  recent  years  the  method  by  which  the  cella  of  the 
Parthenon  was  lighted  was  the  subject  of  much  debate. 
Some  scholars  held  that  the  Parthenon  was  hypaethral, 
having  a skylight  or  other  opening  in  the  roof.  But  it  is 
now  reasonably  certain  that  not  many  Greek  temples  were 
hypaethral  (p.  165).  When  the  great  doors  of  the  cella  of 
the  Parthenon  were  opened,  there  was  an  aperture  of  about 
540  square  feet ; in  the  bright,  clear  air  of  Athens  this  was 
large  enough  to  light  the  front  of  the  chamber  with  consid- 
erable brilliancy,  while  at  the  rear  the  wonderful  statue 
of  the  Maid  against  a dimly  lighted  background  seemed 
to  stand  forth  as  a shining  apparition. 

The  workmanship  of  all  parts  of  the  Parthenon,  whether 
visible  or  concealed,  is  of  an  extraordinary  degree  of  ex- 
cellence. Architects,  sculptors,  and  laborers  were  men  of 
sincerity  as  well  as  skill,  wherein  is  a lesson  for  men  of  other 
times  and  other  lands.  To  assert  that  the  technical  execu- 
tion is  in  every  way  so  precise  as  can  be  secured  with  modern 
instruments  would  be  an  overstatement;  but  the  pains- 
taking of  the  builders  has  seldom  left  anything  to  be  desired. 
Of  this  the  accurate  fitting  of  every  block  to  its  place,  the 
exact  joinings,  the  anchoring  with  cramps  and  dowels,  the 
finish  of  the  surfaces,  and  many  other  details,  bear  abundant 
witness. 


282 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


But  most  admirable  of  all  are  the  delicate  deviations  from 
rigid  mathematical  lines  that  mark  the  difference  between 
the  frigidity  and  hardness  of  mere  architectural  precision 
and  the  warmth  and  elasticity  of  a masterpiece  of  art.  Art 
transcends  mere  constructive  skill,  and  so  subtle  are  these 
refinements  in  the  Parthenon  that  they  were  unsuspected 
until  seventy-five  years  ago.  The  true  explanation  of  the 
effect  on  the  eye  of  these  slight  compromises  is  psycho- 
logical, and  the  final  explanation  in  all  cases  cannot  yet 
be  given.  Only  a few  examples  of  the  refinements  can  be 
mentioned.  Some  of  them  the  Parthenon  shares  with 
other  temples,  but  in  none  other  are  the  effects  wrought  out 


Fig.  178. — South  steps  of  the  Parthenon,  showing  horizontal  curvature. 

with  so  great  care.  The  most  notable  is  perhaps  the  con- 
vex curvature  of  the  horizontal  lines.  The  steps  and  sty- 
lobate are  not  strictly  horizontal,  as  they  seem  to  be,  but 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


283 


rise  in  a gentle  curve  from  the  corners  to  the  middle;  on 
the  south  side  (Fig.  178),  for  example,  the  middle  is  about 
nine  inches  higher  than  the  corners ; the  podium  has  the 
same  curvature  (so,  we  infer,  the  earlier  buildings),  and  the 
entablature  nearly  the  same.  The  walls  of  the  cella  have 
an  imperceptible  batter,  or  in-slope,  so  as  not  to  seem  top- 
heavy.  The  columns  incline  inwards,  the  corner  columns 
being  slightly  more  massive  than  the  rest  and  more  closely 
spaced,  both  for  optical  effect  and  for  the  adjustment  of 
their  position  in  relation  to  the  triglyphs  above  them.  The 
shafts  of  the  columns  have  entasis,  or  swelling,  which  in 
modern  architecture  is  so  often  misunderstood  and  exag- 
gerated ; the  maximum  deviation  from  a straight  line  in  a 
column  of  the  Parthenon  34.2  feet  high  is  about  2.25  inches. 
The  list  might  be  extended  to  a considerable  length,  without 
taking  into  account  the  sculpture,  the  delicate  moldings 
with  their  studied  effects  of  light  and  shade,  and  the  bright 
colors  with  which  the  building  was  decorated  (p.  302). 

The  sculptures  of  the  Parthenon  constitute  its  supreme 
glory.  They  are  of  four  kinds : the  pedimental  groups, 
the  metopes,  the  frieze  about  the  cella,  and  the  cult  statue 
of  the  goddess. 

For  an  understanding  of  the  pedimental  sculptures  we 
should  be  well-nigh  lost  without  the  statement  of  Pausanias, 
exasperatingly  meager  as  it  is : “As  you  enter  into  the 
temple  which  they  name  the  Parthenon,  all  that  is  in  the 
eagles,  as  they  are  called  [the  pediments,  from  their  fancied 
resemblance  to  eagles],  has  to  do  with  the  birth  of  Athena; 
that  in  the  rear  is  the  contest  of  Poseidon  with  Athena  for 
the  land.”  Of  the  marvelous  statues  that  made  up  these 
two  groups  a considerable  number  has  been  preserved.  A 
few  fragments  are  on  the  building,  or  in  the  Acropolis 
Museum ; some  portions  are  in  the  Louvre  and  other  con- 


284 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


tinental  collections ; but  the  majority  are 
in  the  British  Museum.  Besides  these 
remains  several  other  pieces  of  evidence 
are  available  for  the  restoration  of  the 
groups.  First  in  importance  are  the  draw- 
ings made  in  1674,  while  the  Parthenon 
was  still  almost  intact,  by  a draughtsman 
in  the  service  of  the  Marquis  de  Noin  tel 
(p.  4) ; though  the  designation  may  be 
incorrect,  we  may  for  the  sake  of  con- 
venience speak  of  these  as  the  Carrey 
drawings.  A careful  examination  of  the 
cuttings  and  cramp-marks  in  the  back 
wall  and  the  floor  of  the  pediments  and 
in  the  extant  statues  has  also  proved  of 
great  value.  Representations  or  imita- 
tions on  vases,  reliefs,  and  other  works  of 
art  are  useful  as  auxiliary  testimony. 

The  central  portion  of  the  east  pedi- 
ment had  already  been  destroyed  when 
the  Carrey  drawing  was  made  (Fig.  179). 
Two  types  of  representation  of  the  birth 
of  Athena,  the  theme  of  this  pediment, 
are  found  in  ancient  art.  One  is  that  of 
certain  vase  paintings  (Fig.  166)  and 
engraved  mirrors,  on  which  Athena  is 
depicted  as  a doll-like  figure  issuing  from 
the  head  of  Zeus.  This  motif  seems 
hardly  consistent  with  the  dignity  of  the 
group  which  occupied  the  front  pediment 
of  the  Parthenon ; furthermore  the  cut- 
tings in  the  extant  cornice  show  that  a 
pair  rather  than  a single  figure  stood  in 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


285 


the  middle.  A sculptured  puteal,  or  well-head,  in  Madrid 
(Fig.  180)  probably  gives  a correct  clew  to  the  arrange- 
ment of  the  figures.  In  this  relief  the  majestic  king  of  the 
gods  is  seated  at  the  left,  facing  Athena,  who  has  already 
issued,  full  armed,  from  his  head  and  is  springing  away. 


Fig.  180.  — Birth  of  Athena;  relief  about  a marble  puteal  at  Madrid. 


A Victory  hovers  between  them  and  is  about  to  crown 
Athena  with  a wreath.  Hephaestus,  or  Prometheus,  is 
stepping  back  after  having  cloven  the  head  of  Zeus.  To 
the  right  are  the  three  Fates,  with  their  usual  attributes. 
Naturally  the  puteal  cannot  be  trusted  for  the  accesso- 
ries, but  the  attitude  of  the  principal  figures  probably 
reflects  the  design  of  the 
pediment  (Fig.  181).  The 
suggestion  has  recently  been 
made  that  the  rendering  of 
the  vase-paintings  may  have 
followed  an  unsuccessful 
model  of  Alcamenes  sub- 
mitted in  competition  as  a 
design  for  the  pediment 
(Fig.  166). 

All  the  figures  represented 
in  the  Carrey  drawing  are  extant,  most  of  them  being  in 
the  British  Museum;  fragments  of  the  figures  at  the  ex- 


Fig.  181.  — Central  group  of  the 
east  pediment  of  the  Parthe- 
non, restored. 


286 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


treme  ends  are  still  on 
the  Parthenon.  At  the 
left  end  Helius,  the 
Sun,  is  driving  his  four- 
horse  chariot  up  from 
the  rippling  sea ; at  the 
right  end  Selene,  the 
Moon,  is  descending 
with  her  steeds  below 
the  horizon.  The  inter- 
pretation of  the  re- 
maining figures  is  more 
problematical.  Opin- 
ions are  divided  chiefly 
between  two  groups  of 
critics.  Some  believe 
that  the  figures  repre- 
sent divinities  on  Olym- 
pus, or  in  part  Attic 
heroes ; others  think 
that  they  are  personifi- 
cations, or,  at  all  events 
some  of  them,  of  moun- 
tains, rivers,  and  other 
natural  phenomena. 
For  instance,  the  heroic 
figure  (Fig.  182)  next 
to  Helius  on  the  right 
has  been  variously  in- 
terpreted as  Heracles, 
Dionysus,  Olympus, 
Theseus,  and  Cephalus, 
and  the  interpretations 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


287 


of  the  others  have  been  quite  as  diverse.  The  Theseus, 
as  he  is  traditionally  named,  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
figures  of  the  entire  series,  the  only  one  whose  head  is 
preserved  undetached.  His  youthful  form  rests  easily  upon 
a rock  over  which  he  has  thrown  his  mantle  and  panther’s 
or  lion’s  skin.  Back  of  him  are  two  female  figures  seated 
on  what  seem  to  be  mystic  chests,  which  suggest  their 
identification  as  Demeter  and  her  daughter  Persephone, 


Fig.  183.  — The  “ Fates,”  from  the  east  pediment  of  the  Parthenon 
(British  Museum,  London). 


though  by  some  they  are  called  Hours.  Rushing  toward 
these,  with  garments  floating  back  in  the  breeze,  is  a figure 
usually  known  as  Iris,  the  messenger  of  Zeus ; but  the 
identification  is  doubtful.  Next  to  Selene,  at  the  other 
end  of  the  pediment,  are  three  seated  female  figures,  which 
may  be  the  Fates  (Fig.  183) ; they  have  also  been  called 
Clouds,  while  the  two  at  the  right  have  been  interpreted  as 
the  Sea  reclining  in  the  lap  of  Earth.  About  eleven  figures 
from  the  center  of  the  pediment  are  lost ; no  doubt  these 
were  the  most  splendid,  as  they  were  the  largest,  in  the 
group.  A Victory  which  has  long  been  placed  next  to  the 


288 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


Fates  is  now  to  be  assigned  to 
the  other  pediment.  All  the 
extant  figures  are  mutilated,  but 
the  noble  living  forms,  full  of 
simple  dignity  whether  in  action 
or  in  repose,  the  rich  and  graceful 
draperies,  and  the  exquisite  carv- 
ing are  beyond  the  highest  praise. 
Nothing  in  sculpture  excels  them. 

Of  the  statues  of  the  west  pedi- 
ment, which  depicted  the  contest 
of  Athena  and  Poseidon  for  the 
land,  fewer  have  been  preserved, 
but  fortunately  the  group  was  in 
better  condition  when  the  Carrey 
drawing  (Fig.  184)  was  made. 
Several  figures  then  existing  were 
ruined  in  1687  by  Morosini 
(p.  304),  and  the  majority  of  the 
remainder  had  disappeared  before 
Lord  Elgin  came  to  rescue  them 
(p.  306).  From  the  drawing  we 
can  understand  the  general  de- 
sign. At  the  middle  stood  Athena 
and  Poseidon,  springing  apart ; 
between  them  were  the  olive  tree 
brought  forth  by  Athena  and  the 
salt  spring  produced  by  Poseidon 
(cf.  Fig.  170).  On  either  side 
of  the  chief  actors  stood  their 
chariots  and  bounding  steeds. 
Athena’s  car  is  probably  driven 
by  Victory,  Poseidon’s  by  Amphi- 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


289 


trite.  Behind  the  one  chariot  is  a figure  which  seems  to 
be  Hermes,  behind  the  other  was  probably  Iris.  At  the 


Fig.  185.  — Parthenon  from  the  northwest. 


ends  of  the  pediment  were  on  the  left  the  river  god  Ilissus, 
or  Cephissus,  on  the  right  the  nymph  Callirrhoe  (p.  108). 


Fig.  186.  — “ Ilissus/’  from  the  west  pediment  of  the  Parthenon 
(British  Museum). 

The  remaining  figures  may  be  of  gods  and  heroes,  or 
Attic  divinities  and  heroes,  or  personifications.  Two  figures, 

u 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


290 

perhaps  Cecrops  and  his  daughter  Pandrosus,  are  still  on 
the  Parthenon  (Fig.  185);  the  torso  of  a recumbent  figure 
is  at  the  right  end  of  the  pediment,  and  a portion  of  a 
crouching  youth,  which  was  placed  next  to  Cecrops,  has 
recently  been  identified  in  the  Acropolis  Museum.  The 
figure  of  Ilissus  (Fig.  186)  is  the  best  preserved  from  this 

pediment,  but  the  torsos 
of  the  principal  figures, 
Athena  and  Poseidon, 
have  also  been  found. 

All  of  the  ninety-two 
metopes  of  the  temple 
were  sculptured  in  re- 
lief so  high  as  almost  ta 
be  in  the  round.  The 
metopes  are  about  four 
feet  square,  and  were 
heavily  framed  in  by 

Fig.  187.  — Lapith  and  Centaur ; metope  the  triglyphs,  cornice, 

from  the  Parthenon  (British  Museum).  , , . 

and  architrave.  1 he 
fourteen  metopes  of  the  east  end,  the  fourteen  of  the  west 
end,  one  of  the  south  side,  and  eleven  of  the  north  side 
are  still  on  the  building.  Fifteen  are  in  the  British  Mu- 
seum, three  and  the  greater  part  of  a fourth  in  the 
Acropolis  Museum,  and  one  in  the  Louvre.  The  fifteen 
in  the  British  Museum,  all  from  the  south  side,  are  the 
best  preserved.  Scores  of  fragments  are  in  the  museums 
mentioned,  some  in  Copenhagen,  and  other  pieces  are 
being  found  from  time  to  time.  Besides  the  remains 
we  have  also  the  Carrey  drawings  of  thirty- two  of  the 
series. 

The  metopes  at  the  east  end  represented  scenes  from  the 
battle  of  the  gods  and  giants.  Those  at  the  west  probably 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


291 


portrayed  the  conflict  of  Athenians  and  Amazons.  The 
metopes  of  the  south  side  seem  to  be  divided  into  three 
groups,  of  which  the  principal  subject  is  the  battle  of  Lapiths 
and  Centaurs  (Figs.  187  and  188),  but  the  interpretation  of 
the  nine  central  metopes  is  doubtful ; possibly  they  rep- 
resent scenes  in  the  life  of  Erichthonius,  and  possibly  the 
metopes  usually  as- 
signed to  this  part  of 
the  frieze  belong  to  the 
north  side.  More  than 
half  of  the  metopes  of 
the  north  side  are  lost, 
and  the  subject  is  un- 
certain ; those  toward 
the  west  may  relate  to 
the  siege  of  Troy. 

The  extant  metopes 
vary  greatly  in  style 
and  technique  and  must 
have  been  carved  by 
sculptors  of  widely  di- 
vergent training  and  skill.  Some  are  so  archaic  that  they 
have  even  been  thought  to  have  been  made  originally  for 
the  earlier  building.  Others  are  developed  in  style  and  very 
beautiful. 

The  Ionic  frieze,  524.1  feet  in  length  and  3.25  feet  in 
height,  ran  entirely  about  the  sanctuary,  some  forty  feet 
above  the  floor  of  the  corridor.  Nearly  all  of  the  west 
section  (Fig.  189),  about  70  feet  long,  is  still  on  the  temple. 
Approximately  247  feet  are  in  the  British  Museum ; about 
58  feet  are  known  only  from  the  drawings  of  Carrey  and 
Stuart.  Only  45  feet  are  lost  without  record  or  remains. 

The  frieze  is  carved  in  relief,  averaging  about  one  and 


Fig.  188.  — Lapith  and  Centaur;  metope 
from  the  Parthenon  (British  Museum). 


292  ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 

one  half  inches  in  projection  at  the  top,  in  places  as  much  as 
two  and  one  fourth  inches,  and  about  one  and  one  fourth 
inches  at  the  bottom ; thus  seeming  slightly  to  tilt  forward 
to  meet  the  vision  of  the  spectator  on  the  ground  below. 
The  frieze  contained  some  six  hundred  figures.  It  was 
carved  with  such  consummate  skill  that  as  many  as  seven 


Fig.  189.  — West  frieze  of  the  Parthenon,  in  situ. 

horsemen  riding  abreast  are  portrayed  without  the  slight- 
est confusion  of  planes.  A nice  appreciation  of  the  delicacy 
of  treatment  is  found  in  Ruskin’s  comment  on  a portion 
of  a chariot  group.1 

“The  projection  of  the  heads  of  the  four  horses,  one 
behind  the  other,  is  certainly  not  more,  altogether,  than 
three  quarters  of  an  inch  from  the  flat  ground,  and  the  one 
in  front  does  not  in  reality  project  more  than  the  one  behind 
it,  yet,  by  mere  drawing,  you  see  the  sculptor  has  got  them 
to  appear  to  recede  in  due  order,  and  by  the  soft  rounding 


1 Aratra  Pentelici,  Section  179. 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


293 


of  the  flesh  surfaces,  and  modulation  of  the  veins,  he  has 
taken  away  all  look  of  flatness  from  the  necks.  He  has 
drawn  the  eyes  and  nostrils  with  dark  incision,  careful  as 
the  finest  touches  of  a painter’s  pencil : and  then,  at  last, 
when  he  comes  to  the  manes,  he  has  let  fly  hand  and  chisel 
with  their  full  force;  and  where  a base  workman  (above 
all,  if  he  had  modeled  the  thing  in  the  clay  first)  would  have 


Fig.  190.  — Section  of  the  north  frieze  of  the  Parthenon  (British  Museum). 

lost  himself  in  laborious  imitation  of  hair,  the  Greek  has 
struck  the  tresses  out  with  angular  incisions,  deep  driven, 
every  one  in  appointed  place  and  deliberate  curve,  yet 
flowing  so  free  under  his  noble  hand,  that  you  cannot  alter, 
without  harm,  the  bending  of  any  single  ridge,  nor  con- 
tract, nor  extend,  a part  of  them.” 

The  scene  depicted  on  the  frieze  is  the  great  Panathenaic 
procession,  which  every  four  years  conveyed  from  the  Outer 
Cerameicus  to  the  Acropolis  the  peplos,  or  robe,  of  Athena, 
woven  by  chosen  maidens  of  the  city.  The  procession  of 
the  frieze  begins  at  the  southwest  corner  of  the  building. 
From  this  point  it  advances  along  both  sides  toward  the 
center  of  the  east  end.  Across  the  west  end  (Fig.  189)  are 
youths  preparing  for  the  procession;  in  front  of  them, 


294 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


along  the  sides  of  the  temple,  are  trains  of  cavalry  (Fig.  190), 
riders  and  horses  in  every  position  of  pulsating  activity. 
Next  advances  a series  of  chariots,  sometimes  a full-armed 
apobates  leaping  off  or  on  the  car  while  the  driver  urges  on 
his  steeds.  Before  these  march  a number  of  old  men,  and 
then  the  musicians,  preceded  by  men  carrying  trays  and 
water-jars.  Last  on  the  sides  of  the  temple  are  youths 
leading  the  cows  and  sheep  for  sacrifice.  After  the  corners 


Fig.  19 i.  — Athena,  Hephaestus,  Poseidon,  Apollo,  and  Artemis,  from 
the  east  frieze  of  the  Parthenon  (British  Museum,  London,  and 
Acropolis  Museum,  Athens). 


of  the  east  front  are  turned,  matrons  and  maidens  advance 
with  sacrificial  implements ; these  lead  the  procession,  and 
approach  groups  of  magistrates,  or  the  tribal  heroes,  who 
lean  on  their  staffs  and  watch  the  coming  of  the  parade. 
The  middle  portion  of  this  end  of  the  frieze  is  occupied  by 
the  groups  of  seated  gods  and  goddesses  (Fig.  191)  calmly 
gazing  at  the  approaching  cavalcade.  All  the  Olympian 
divinities  save  Hestia  are  here,  and  Dionysus  and  Eros  are 
added.  Between  the  two  groups  of  divinities  and  over  the 
great  door  (Fig.  192)  stands  a woman  receiving  two  girls, 
who  carry  stools  on  their  heads,  and  beside  her  a bearded 
man  and  a boy  holding  between  them  a folded  cloth.  This 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


295 


cloth  has  been  variously  interpreted  but  it  probably  rep- 
resents the  sacred  peplos  borne  in  the  procession,  borne, 
indeed,  as  the  sail  of  the  Panathenaic  ship  (pp.  362  ff.),  but 
the  artist  has  refrained  from  portraying  on  the  frieze  the 
ship,  which  did  not  enter  the  Acropolis  with  the  proces- 
sion— if  a ship  was  used  at  all  in  the  fifth  century. 


Fig.  192.  — Central  episode  of  the  procession,  from  the  east  frieze  of 
the  Parthenon  (British  Museum). 

The  scene  probably  represents  the  delivery  of  the  peplos  of  Athena. 

The  frieze  betrays  some  differences  of  style  and  work- 
manship, but  the  general  design  is  manifestly  the  concep- 
tion of  one  master  mind.  For  truth  and  vividness  of  life 
and  motion  the  reliefs  are  unsurpassed.  The  colors  with 
which  the  frieze  was  adorned  and  the  bronze  accessories 
will  be  mentioned  later. 

The  center  of  interest  in  the  temple  was,  of  course,  the 
chryselephantine  statue  of  Athena,  which,  with  its  base, 
towered  upwards  of  forty  feet  above  the  floor  of  the  cella. 
As  in  all  such  statues  the  inner  framework  was  of  baser 
materials.  However  fair  the  exterior,  as  Lucian  says  of  this 
class  of  images  (Sonin.  24),  “if  you  stoop  down  and  look 
inside,  you  will  see  bars,  bolts,  nails  running  through  and 


Fig.  193.  — Varvakeion  statuette  of  Athena  Parthenos 
(National  Museum,  Athens). 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


297 


through,  logs,  wedges,  pitch,  clay,  and  all  sorts  of  shapeless 
things.”  Over  this  core  were  incrusted  the  plates  of  gold 
for  the  drapery  and  of  ivory  for  the  exposed  parts  of  the 
flesh.  The  weight  of  gold  used  for  the  Athena  is  given 
by  Thucydides  as  forty  talents,  perhaps  equal  in  value 
to  about  $50,000.  Both  the  gold  and  the  ivory  could 
be  removed  for  weighing,  as  the  court  was  reminded  by 
Pericles  when  Pheidias  was  charged  with  peculation. 

Since  the  statue  has  perished,  we  must  judge  of  its  style 
from  descriptions  and  from  the  copies  and  imitations,  which 
are  fairly  numerous.  Once  more  Pausanias  is  our  guide. 
“The  statue  itself,”  he  says,  “is  made  of  ivory  and  gold. 
In  the  middle  of  the  helmet  is  the  image  of  a Sphinx  . . . 
and  on  either  side  are  Griffins  in  relief.  . . . The  statue 
of  Athena  is  erect,  in  a tunic  reaching  to  the  feet,  and  on 
her  breast  is  the  head  of  Medusa  inlaid  of  ivory.  She  holds 
a Victory  about  four  cubits  high,  and  in  the  other  hand  a 
spear.  At  her  feet  is  set  her  shield  and  near  the  spear  is  a 
serpent,  which  may  be  Erichthonius.  In  relief  on  the  base 
of  the  statue  is  the  birth  of  Pandora ; for  Hesiod  and  other 
poets  have  it  that  this  Pandora  was  the  first  woman,  and 
that  before  Pandora  was  born  the  female  sex  did  not  exist.” 
Plato  adds  the  information  (. Eipp . maj.  12)  that  the  pupils 
of  the  statue’s  eyes  were  “of  stone”  — crystal,  doubtless  — 
and  Pausanias  tells  us  in  another  place  (5,  n,  10)  that  the 
ivory  was  kept  from  splitting  by  the  use  of  water  and  not, 
as  in  the  case  of  the  Zeus  at  Olympia,  by  the  use  of  oil ; the 
reservoir  for  the  water  cannot  be  located.  Further  details 
are  added  by  other  writers ; thus  we  are  informed  that  the 
relief  on  the  base  contained  the  figures  of  twenty  gods,  and 
that  on  the  interior  of  the  shield  was  painted  the  battle  of 
the  gods  and  giants. 

The  most  servile  extant  copy  of  the  statue  is  the  Varva- 


298 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


keion  statuette  (Fig.  193),  so  named  from  the  school  in 
Athens  near  which  it  was  found.  This  is  about  three  feet 
four  inches  in  height,  a mechanical  reproduction  by  an 

uninspired  stonecutter, 
probably  of  the  time  of 
Hadrian.  It  cannot  be 
depended  upon  for  de- 
tails, least  of  all  for  the 
soul  of  Pheidias’s  match- 
less work.  As  one  critic 
remarks,  “It  bears  the 
same  relation  to  Phi- 
dias’s statue  as  the  coars- 
est German  oleograph 
after  the  Sistine  Ma- 
donna bears  to  the  pic- 
ture which  it  affects  to 
reproduce.”1  More 
spirited,  but  sketchy  and 
incomplete,  is  the  Le- 
normant  statuette  (Fig. 
194),  which  is  about  a 
foot  and  four  inches 
high,  also  in  the  museum 
at  Athens.  An  imitation 
of  heroic  size  has  been 
found  at  Pergamum 
(Fig.  195),  and  a marble 
statuette  at  Patras.  Besides  these,  numerous  other  replicas 
are  preserved  in  various  European  museums,  but  few  of 
them  are  at  all  faithful,  and  they  add  little  to  our  knowl- 
edge of  the  original.  For  individual  features  we  possess 


Fig.  194.  — Lenormant  statuette  of 
Athena  Parthenos  (National  Museum, 
Athens). 


1 Gardner,  A Handbook  of  Greek  Sculpture , p.  255. 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


299 


other  reproductions.  To 
mention  only  a few,  the 
head  of  the  goddess  is 
admirably  depicted  on 
two  gold  pendants 
found  in  the  Crimea 
(Fig.  196) ; on  a superb 
gem  signed  by  Aspasius 
(Fig.  197) ; and  in  a 
terra  cotta  mold  re- 
cently discovered  at 
Corinth.  Of  the  shield 
several  more  or  less 
fragmentary  replicas 
exist,  the  best  and  most 
complete  being  the 
“Strangford  shield” 
now  in  the  British  Mu- 
seum (Fig.  198). 

From  such  various 
sources  we  are  enabled 
to  obtain  a reasonably 
complete  conception  of 
the  statue.  The  god- 
dess was  represented  as 
standing  in  an  easy 
attitude  on  a high  basis ; 
her  weight  is  thrown  on 
the  right  foot,  the  left 
leg  being  slightly  bent. 
Her  right  hand  supports 
a winged  Victory;  her 
left  rests  lightly  on  the 


Fig.  195.  — Colossal  figure  adapted  after 
the  Parthenos  of  Pheidias ; from  Perga- 
mum  (Konig.  Museum,  Berlin). 


300 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


rim  of  her  shield ; her  spear  leans  against  her  shoulder  and 
may  have  been  grasped  also  by  her  hand  ; inside  the  shield 

is  coiled  the  sacred  serpent. 
The  simple  tunic,  folded  down 
and  girt  at  the  waist,  leaves 
both  arms  bare.  Over  her 
shoulders  is  the  aegis ; on  her 
head  is  a crested  helmet. 

The  pillar  which  in  the  Var- 
vakeion  statuette  supports 
the  right  hand  is  not  Greek  in 
style,  and  its  Pheidian  origin 

Fig.  196. -Gold  pendant  with  a has  justly  been  questioned, 
representation  of  the  head  of  The  brittle  marble  of  the 
the  Parthenos  (Hermitage,  St.  statuette  demanded  it,  but 

in  a chryselephantine  statue 
surely  a little  cleverness  might  have  obviated  the  necessity 
of  so  clumsy  an  expedient ; artistic- 
ally it  seems  impossible.  The 
pillar  does  not  appear  in  Athenian 
coins  that  show  the  statue,  al- 
though it  is  seen,  in  one  form  or 
another,  in  a few  other  representa- 
tions. Possibly  the  support  was 
added  at  a later  time,  when  the 
framework,  burdened  by  the  weight 
of  the  Victory,  had  developed  signs 
of  yielding  to  the  strain. 

The  sculptor  took  advantage  of 
almost  every  available  space  for 
ornamentation ; to  this  fact  the 
elaborate  helmet,  the  aegis,  the  borders  of  the  robe,  the 
edges  of  the  sandals,  the  painted  inner  and  sculptured  outer 


Fig.  197.  — Gem  signed  by 
Aspasius  with  representa- 
tion of  the  head  of  Athena 
(Vienna  Museum). 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


301 

surfaces  of  the  shield,  and  the  reliefs  on  the  base,  bear 
witness.  Among  the  figures  in  the  battle  of  the  Greeks 
and  Amazons  on  the  exterior  of  the  shield  Pheidias  is  said 
to  have  introduced  himself  as  a bald  old  man  raising  a 
stone  in  both  hands, 
and  Pericles  poising 
his  spear  in  such  a 
way  that  his  arm 
partially  concealed 
his  face.  These  fig- 
ures are  represented 
in  a free  manner 
on  the  Strangford 
shield,  but  we  have 
no  means  of  testing 
the  story  repeated 
by  a number  of 
writers  that  the  fig- 
ures were  so  clev- 
erly connected  with 
the  framework  of  the  statue  that  their  removal  would  have 
imperiled  the  entire  statue ; the  tale  sounds  improbable. 

The  serenity,  grace,  and  beauty  of  the  perfect  statue  can 
only  be  imagined.  Ancient  writers  abound  in  its  praise, 
some  of  them  even  including  it  among  the  “ seven  wonders.” 
As  Cicero  puts  it  (. Brutus  257),  “The  Athenians  were  more 
concerned  about  having  sound  roofs  to  their  houses  than 
about  the  most  beautiful  statue  of  Minerva ; but  I should 
rather  be  Pheidias  than  even  the  best  of  carpenters.” 

The  Parthenos  still  existed  in  the  fourth  century  of  the 
Christian  era,  when  Nestorius  placed  a small  statue  of 
Achilles  “at  the  foot  of  the  statue  of  Athena  set  up  in  the 
Parthenon”  (Zosimus  4,  18).  Indeed,  it  probably  endured 


Fig.  198.  — Strangford  shield  (British 
Museum). 


3°2 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


a century  longer,  for  the  philosopher  Proclus,  who  died  in 
485  a.d.,  apparently  saw  its  removal  “by  those  who  move 
even  things  immovable”  (Marinus,  Vita  Procli  30). 

A very  inadequate  conception  of  the  Parthenon  and  its 
sculptures,  as,  indeed,  of  any  Greek  temple,  will  be  gained 
without  consideration  of  the  use  of  polychromy  in  enhanc- 
ing the  general  effect.  Whether  the  shafts  of  the  columns 
and  the  broad  surfaces  generally  were  toned  down  by  the 
application  of  some  neutral  stain  is  not  certain.  But  we 
know  that  the  upper  plastic  members  were  richly  adorned 
with  color,  dark  blue,  red,  and  less  often  green,  yellow,  and 
gilt.  Thus  the  triglyphs,  mutules,  and  regulae  were  painted 
blue ; the  remainder  of  the  soffit  of  the  cornice  and  the 
taenia  of  the  architrave  were  red ; other  moldings  com- 
bined these  colors  alternately.  Maeanders  and  similar 
patterns  still  survive  on  fragments  which  have  been  less 
exposed.  Backgrounds  of  sculpture  were  painted  red  or 
blue ; of  the  statues  themselves  the  draperies,  or  at  least 
their  borders,  the  hair,  the  lips,  and  the  eyes  were  colored 
in  more  or  less  natural  tints.  The  flesh  was  probably 
stained  with  a tempering  medium.  Accessories,  such  as 
the  bridles  and  reins  of  horses  of  the  frieze,  were  added  in 
bronze,  the  removal  of  which  accounts  for  the  absence  of 
these  details  to-day. 

The  Parthenon  remained  practically  unaltered  through- 
out the  Hellenistic  and  Roman  periods.  On  the  east  ar- 
chitrave can  be  seen  the  traces  where  shields  were  once 
affixed,  some  of  them  perhaps  a part  of  the  “three  hundred 
Persian  panoplies”  presented  by  Alexander  the  Great  after 
the  battle  of  Granicus.  Between  the  marks  of  the  shields 
are  groups  of  small  holes  in  which  were  fastened  the  bronze 
letters  of  a long  inscription,  which,  by  a clever  study  of  the 
position  of  the  holes,  has  been  deciphered  and  found  to  be 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


303 


a decree  in  honor  of  Nero,  dating  from  61  a.d.  A few  years 
later  Plutarch  names  the  Parthenon  first  among  the  works 
of  Pericles,  which,  he  declares  (. Pericles  13),  were  “made 
in  a brief  time,  for  long  duration.  For  in  beauty  each  was 
ancient  from  the  very  moment  of  its  creation,  while  in 
vigor  they  are  fresh  and  new  until  now.”  About  half  a 
century  later  Pausanias  seems  also  to  have  found  the 
Parthenon  intact. 

In  the  fifth  century  of  our  era  the  Parthenon  became  a 
Christian  church.  At  first,  apparently,  it  was  sacred  to 


P P P 


P P 7> 


Fig.  199.  — Plan  of  the  Parthenon  as  it  was  in  early  Christian  times. 

A,  nave;  BBC,  aisles  and  galleries;  DD,  M,  basin;  N,  door;  0,  chapel  (later,  spiral 

sacred  bema;  E,  apse;  F,  high  altar;  G,  staircase  of  minaret);  PP,  steps  in  stereo- 

beautiful gate ; i/,ambon;  7,  bishop’s  throne;  bate;  QQ,  corridor  (pteron);  RR,  water 
K,  narthex;  LL,  side  entrances  to  galleries;  channel. 

“Holy  Wisdom”  (Hagia  Sophia),  but  at  least  as  early  as 
the  tenth  century  it  was  consecrated  to  the  “Mother  of 
God”  (Theotokos).  To  the  Christian  period  belongs  the 
beginning  of  extensive  alterations  in  the  building  (Fig. 
199).  The  chief  entrance  was  transferred  to  the  west  end; 
a large  doorway  was  cut  through  the  cross-wall,  while  at 
the  east  end  an  apse  closed  the  door  and  filled  the  largest 


3°  4 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


part  of  the  pronaos.  A new  series  of  inner  columns  sup- 
ported a gallery  for  the  women,  who  could  enter  from  the 
outer  corridor  by  stairways  accessible  through  doors  let 
into  the  side  walls.  Windows  were  made  to  lighten  the 
interior,  and  the  walls  were  covered  with  paintings,  abun- 
dant traces  of  which  are  still  visible.  Only  the  cella  was 
now  roofed ; the  intercolumniations  of  the  peristyle  were 
filled  with  rude  walls  (Fig.  231)  and  the  corridor  was  open 
to  the  sky.  Shortly  after  the  occupation  of  Athens  by  the 
Turks,  about  1456  a.d.,  the  church  was  made  over  into  a 
mosque,  and  at  the  southwest  corner  was  erected  a lofty 
minaret  (cf.  Fig.  231),  the  lower  part  of  which  still  r'emains 
and  by  its  spiral  staircase  gives  access  to  the  western  summit 
of  the  building.  There  are  few  literary  references  to  these 
changes,  only  the  scanty  reports  of  early  travelers ; in  the 
main  the  pathetic  story  must  be  deciphered  from  the  bat- 
tered ruins. 

After  all  its  vicissitudes  the  Parthenon  remained  almost 
complete  until  a little  more  than  two  centuries  ago.  In 
1687  the  Turks  were  being  besieged  in  the  Acropolis  by  the 
Venetians  under  Morosini.  On  the  twenty- sixth  of  Sep- 
tember of  that  year  a German  gunner  succeeded  in  dropping 
a shell  on  the  roof  of  the  building.  A quantity  of  powder 
stored  in  the  cella  exploded,  destroying  some  three  hundred 
lives  and  hurling  into  ruins  the  entire  middle  part  of  the 
structure.  Morosini,  who  soon  took  the  Acropolis,  at- 
tempted to  lower  the  horses  of  Poseidon  from  the  west 
pediment,  but  his  ropes  broke  and  the  sculptures  were 
dashed  in  pieces  on  the  rock  beneath.  After  the  Venetians 
retired,  the  Turks  again  took  possession  of  the  citadel,  and 
a little  later  built  a small  mosque,  turned  toward  Mecca, 
on  the  floor  of  the  ruined  temple  (Fig.  200).  Many  por- 
tions of  the  sculptures  and  other  remains  were  carried  off 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


305 


x 


Fig.  200.  — Parthenon,  with  Turkish  mosque  and  houses,  from  the  east.  From  a drawing  by  Stuart  and  Revett. 


3°6 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


or  demolished  from  time  to  time,  and  in  1801,  and  several 
years  following,  the  Earl  of  Elgin,  under  the  authority  of 
a firman  from  the  Sublime  Porte  permitting  him  “to  take 
away  any  pieces  of  stone  with  old  inscriptions  or  figures 
thereon,”  appropriated  and  later  shipped  to  England  nearly 
all  the  remaining  statues  of  the  pediments,  much  of  the 
frieze,  and  numerous  metopes,  and  other  fragments.  Un- 
fortunately his  emissaries  were  not  always  scrupulous,  and 
no  little  damage  was  done  to  the  building  itself,  consider- 
able portions  of  the  cornice  and  other  blocks  being  torn 
away  in  order  to  free  the  sculptures.  But  the  removal 
served  a good  purpose,  the  withering  censure  of  Byron 
and  others  notwithstanding.  The  few  sculptures  which 
remain  on  the  building  have  suffered  far  more  than  those 
in  the  British  Museum ; and  the  marks  of  cannon  balls 
on  the  columns  show  what  the  rescued  statues  must  have 
undergone  had  they  been  left  in  place.  After  the  revolution 
(1821-1829)  a few  columns  of  the  building  were  restored 
with  an  ugly  patchwork  of  brick,  an  experiment  happily 
soon  discontinued.  A stupid  project  for  building  a royal 
palace  on  the  Acropolis  with  the  Parthenon  in  its  court  was 
fortunately  abandoned. 

Of  the  precious  objects  once  preserved  in  the  Parthenon 
we  have  long  inventories  in  the  inscriptions  which  have 
been  mentioned.  These  treasures  were  of  many  different 
kinds ; among  them  were  bullion,  gold  and  silver  vessels, 
armor  and  weapons,  articles  of  furniture,  and  musical 
instruments.  The  marble  slabs  engraved  with  the  treasure 
lists  were  set  up  every  four  years,  and  a large  number  of 
them  have  been  recovered ; we  have  an  almost  complete 
series  from  434  to  404  b.c.  The  Parthenon  proper,  or 
rear  room  of  the  temple,  among  other  things  contained  the 
silver-footed  throne  on  which  Xerxes  is  said  to  have  sat 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


307 


during  the  battle  of  Salamis,  and  a bronze  pillar  bearing  a 
description  of  the  great  statue.  Somewhere  in  the  temple 
were  painted  portraits  of  Themistocles  and  Heliodorus 
Halis.  “The  only  statue  that  I saw  there,”  says  Pau- 
sanias,  “was  that  of  king  Hadrian;  and  by  the  entrance 
one  of  Iphicrates,  who  performed  many  marvelous  deeds.” 
Hadrian’s  statue  may  have  stood  on  the  inscribed  base 
found  on  the  Acropolis.  “Ask  them,”  cries  Aeschines 
(3,  243),  “why  the  people  gave  them  presents  and  set  up 
statues ; they  will  all  answer  you  in  a breath  . . . and  to 
Iphicrates  [a  statue  was  set  up]  because  he  slew  a brigade 
of  Lacedaemonians,”  in  392  b.c.  The  statue,  as  Demos- 
thenes tells  us,  was  of  bronze ; it  was  set  up  twenty  years 
after  the  distinguished  service  of  Iphicrates. 

EAST  END  OE  THE  ACROPOLIS 

“Beyond  the  temple,”  but  whether  Pausanias  means  east 
or  south  we  cannot  tell,  “is  a bronze  Apollo;  they  say 
that  Pheidias  made  the  statue.  It  is  called  Locust  (Par- 
nopius),  because  once  when  locusts  were  injuring  the  land 
the  god  said  that  he  would  avert  them  from  the  country. 
That  he  did  avert  them,  they  know,  but  they  do  not  say 
how.  I know  of  my  own  knowledge  that  three  times  locusts 
vanished  from  Mt.  Sipylus  in  different  ways  : once  a violent 
wind  fell  upon  them  and  swept  them  out ; again,  the  god 
brought  a rain  storm  and  then  intense  heat  killed  them ; 
and  again  they  were  caught  and  destroyed  by  sudden  cold. 
These  things  I have  seen  happen. 

“On  the  Acropolis  of  the  Athenians  are  statues  of  Pericles 
son  of  Xanthippus  and  of  Xanthippus  himself,  who  took 
part  in  the  sea-fight  at  Mycale  against  the  Medes ; but  the 
statue  of  Pericles  is  set  up  in  another  place  (p.  346). 

“Near  Xanthippus  stands  Anacreon  the  Teian,  who  was 


3°8 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


the  first  after  Sappho  the  Lesbian  to  make  the  majority  of 
his  compositions  love-songs.  His  attitude  is  that  of  a 
man  singing  while  tipsy. 

“The  statues  near  by  of  Io  daughter  of  Inachus  and 
Callisto  daughter  of  Lycaon  were  made  by  Deinomenes. 
The  stories  of  both  these  women  are  in  every  way  alike, 
the  love  of  Zeus  and  the  anger  of  Hera,  and  the  transfor- 
mation of  Io  into  a heifer  and  of  Callisto  into  a bear. 

“By  the  south  wall  are  groups  of  statues' portraying  the 
war  called  the  War  of  the  Giants,  who  once  dwelt  around 
Thrace  and  the  Isthmus  of  Pallene,  the  Battle  of  the 
Amazons  and  Athenians,  the  action  against  the  Medes  at 
Marathon,  and  the  destruction  of  the  Gauls  in  Mysia. 
These  were  set  up  by  Attalus,  and  each  is  of  about  two 
cubits  in  stature.” 

No  trace  of  the  statues  now  remains,  but  the  truth  of 
Pausanias’s  statement  as  to  their  situation  is  confirmed  by 
the  remark  of  Plutarch  {Anton.  66)  that  “just  prior  to  the 
battle  of  Actium  the  Dionysus  from  the  Gigantomachy 
was  hurled  down  into  the  theater  by  a hurricane,”  which 
also  overturned  the  colossi  of  Eumenes  and  Attalus  (p.  43). 
Pausanias’s  estimate  of  the  size  of  the  figures  — which  may 
originally  have  numbered  upwards  of  sixty  — has  led  to 
their  identification  with  a series  of  ten  or  more  prone  statues, 
about  three  feet  long,  which  are  in  various  European 
museums.  As  each  statue  has  its  separate  base,  it  seems 
probable  that  they  are  copies  rather  than  parts  of  the 
original  groups.  Indeed,  the  statues  of  the  Acropolis  were 
apparently  of  bronze.  The  extant  figures  are  all  of  the 
defeated  foes,  none  of  the  victors  having  been  preserved. 
When  discovered  the  figure  of  an  Amazon  now  in  Naples 
is  said  to  have  had  an  infant  clinging  to  her  breast  (Fig. 
201).  Pliny  informs  us  that  such  a group  as  this  was  made 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


309 


by  the  sculptor  Epigonus,  who  is  known  to  have  made  other 
statues  for  Attalus  I (p.  41)  at  Pergamum.  The  inference 
seems  plausible  that  Epigonus  may  have  been  the  sculptor 
of  some  or  all  of  the 
figures  of  Attalus’s 
offering  on  the 
Acropolis.  The  ex- 
tant copies  are  said 
to  be  of  Asiatic 
marble. 

“ There  is  also  a 
statue  of  Olympio- 
dorus,”  says  Pau- 
sanias,  following  the 
remark  with  a long 
digression  on  this 
man’s  success  in 
opposing  the  Macedonians,  probably  in  288  b.c.  “And 
near  the  image  of  Olympiodorus  is  a bronze  statue  of 
Artemis  surnamed  Leucophryene.  This  was  erected  by 
the  sons  of  Themistocles ; for  the  Magnesians  whom  the 
king  gave  to  Themistocles  to  rule  hold  Leucophryenian 
Artemis  in  honor.”  Artemis’s  surname  Leucophryene  was 
taken  from  the  town  of  Leucophrys  on  the  Maeander  River. 
The  figure  of  what  may  be  the  statue  dedicated  by  the 
sons  of  Themistocles  is  found  on  certain  Athenian  coins. 

In  a “sudden  access  of  haste”  Pausanias  now  passes  over 
we  know  not  how  many  objects  of  interest  with  the  words : 
“But  I must  press  forward  with  my  narrative,  if  I am  to  go 
through  all  Greece  in  a similar  manner.  Endoeus  was  an 
Athenian  by  birth  but  a disciple  of  Daedalus,  and  he 
accompanied  Daedalus  to  Crete,  when  Daedalus  fled  on  ac- 
count of  the  murder  of  Calos  (pp.  204  f.).  Endoeus’s  work 


310  ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 

is  a seated  statue  of  Athena  bearing  an  inscription  to  the  ef- 
fect that  Callias  dedicated  it  and  Endoeus  made  it.”  As  a 
matter  of  fact  Endoeus  was  probably  an  Ionian  of  the  sixth 
century  b.c.  ; the  archaic  style  of  his  Athena  would  seem 

to  have  given  rise  to  the  story  of 
his  connection  with  the  mythical 
Daedalus.  The  statue  of  Endoeus 
has  been  identified  conjecturally 
with  a mutilated  Athena  of  island 
marble  which  was  found  at  the  foot 
of  the  Acropolis  (Fig.  202).  The 
goddess  is  seated,  and  wears  a 
long  tunic,  over  which  is  her  aegis 
adorned  with  the  Gorgon’s  head. 

A little  northeast  of  the  Parthe- 
non, on  the  highest  point  of  the 
Acropolis,  are  the  remains  of  what 
the  inscriptions  style  “the  great 
altar  of  Athena.”  At  present  only 
the  rock-hewn  core  is  left,  together 
with  a few  stones  of  the  encircling 
wall  and  cuttings  for  votive  offer- 
ings and  stelae. 

In  ancient  literature  no  mention  is  made  of  a small 
circular  temple  standing  some  twenty-five  yards  east  of  the 
center  of  the  Parthenon  {cf.  Fig.  133).  Here  still  remains 
a square  foundation  of  poros,  with  a few  architectural 
fragments  (Fig.  203).  The  temple  was  of  white  marble 
and  a little  more  than  twenty-five  feet  in  diameter.  Its 
peristyle  was  of  nine  Ionic  columns,  made  in  imitation  of 
those  of  the  Erechtheum,  and  it  had  a conical  roof. 
Whether  or  not  it  had  a cella  and  cult  statues  we  do  not 
know.  A beautifully  carved  inscription  on  one  of  the 


Fig.  202.  — Seated  Athena, 
ascribed  to  Endoeus 
(Acropolis  Museum, 
Athens). 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


311 

blocks  of  the  architrave  (see  figure)  shows  us  that  it  was 
dedicated  to  “the  goddess  Rome  and  to  Augustus 
Caesar,”  and  that  it  was  built  “in  the  archonship  of  Areus 
the  Paeanian,  son  of  Dorion.”  Unfortunately  the  date  of 


Fig.  203.  — Remains  of  the  temple  of  Rome  and  Augustus. 

this  archon  is  not  known,  but  the  fact  that  Octavius 
bears  the  title  Augustus  indicates  a date  after  27  b.c. 

In  the  southeast  corner  of  the  Acropolis,  partially  cover- 
ing remains  of  Cyclopean  house-walls,  is  a foundation  of 
poros  blocks  belonging  to  a large  structure,  probably  of 
the  sixth  century.  This  building  was  upwards  of  130  feet 
long  and  50  feet  wide.  Upon  a part  of  the  foundation 
is  now  built  the  annex  to  the  Acropolis  Museum.  What 
the  building  was  is  uncertain.  The  abundance  of  marble 
chips  strewn  about  has  suggested  the  theory  that  it  was 
a workshop  for  the  builders  of  the  second  temple  on  the 
site  of  the  Parthenon. 

THE  ERECHTHEUM  AND  ADJACENT  MONUMENTS 

With  the  words,  “There  is  also  a building  called  the 
Erechtheum,”  Pausanias  brings  us  back  to  the  middle  of  ' 
the  north  side  of  the  Acropolis.  In  this  region  were  the 
earliest  buildings  of  Athens,  and  some  of  her  most  sacred 


312 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


tokens.  Numerous  ruins  of  Cyclopean  house-walls  of 
Acropolis  limestone  occupy  the  area,  and  at  the  northeast 
corner  are  the  remains  of  an  early  stairway  (Fig.  20), 
which  led  down  to  a postern  gate.  Immediately  south  of 
the  Erechtheum  are  the  scanty  remains  of  what  seems  to 
have  been  the  palace  of  the  prince  of  the  primitive  city. 
The  most  that  can  be  seen  to-day  are  two  bases  of  stone 
(one  is  visible  at  the  left  in  Fig.  214),  which  probably  sup- 
ported the  wooden  columns  before  the  royal  vestibule,  as 
at  Tiryns  and  other  Mycenaean  strongholds.  We  may 
guess,  therefore,  that  here  was  the  “ strong  house  of  Erech- 
theus”  of  which  Homer  speaks  and  with  which  were 
associated  the  names  of  the  other  heroes,  Cecrops  and 
Pandion.  In  the  present  state  of  our  knowledge,  to 
advance  beyond  these  conjectures  is  to  tread  on  quicksand. 

The  excavations  also  uncovered  here  the  foundations  of 
a large  temple  (Figs.  204  and  205),  which  has  become  the 

object  of  a voluminous 
literature.  For  the  want 
of  a surer  name  on  which 
all  can  agree,  this  build- 
ing is  usually  known  as 
the  Old  Temple.  The 
foundation  of  the  cella  is 
of  Acropolis  limestone; 
that  of  the  peristyle,  of 
Kara  limestone.  On  the 
south  the  foundation 
consists  of  only  a single 
course  of  stone ; on  the 
north  the  rock  slopes 
away  so  that  the  wall  rises  some  ten  feet  above  it 
(Fig.  212). 


Fig.  204.  — Foundation  of  the  “ Old 
Temple.” 

In  the  background  is  the  Erechtheum. 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


3I3 


The  material  of  the  foundation  of  the  cella  argues  an 
earlier  date  than  that  of  the  peristyle  (p.  314),  and  this  in- 
ference is  borne  out  by  extant  fragments  of  the  super- 
structure. The  form  of  the  foundation  shows  that  it  was 
unadorned  by  columns  except  at  the  front  and  rear.  Its 
total  length  was  113.8  feet,  its  total  width,  forty-four  feet. 


Fig.  205.  — Plan  of  the  “ Old  Temple.” 


On  its  platform,  however,  it  measured  precisely  one  hundred 
old  Attic  feet  (p.  280),  whence  its  official  name,  the  Heca- 
tompedum.  Whether  it  was  a temple  in  antis  and  had  two 
columns  between  the  pilasters  on  the  ends  of  the  prolonged 
sides,  or  was  amphiprostyle,  with  four  columns  across 
each  end,  is  uncertain.  Its  interior  was  divided  by  a closed 
cross-wall  into  nearly  equal  parts.  The  east  chamber  was 
divided  by  rows  of  columns  into  a nave  and  side  aisles; 
the  west  section  was  set  off  by  partitions  into  a large 
west  chamber  with  two  small  rooms  behind  it.  Above 
the  foundation  the  temple  was  constructed  of  poros.  It 
must  have  been  erected  not  later  than  the  end  of  the 
seventh  or  the  beginning  of  the  sixth  century  b.c. 

The  excavations  yielded  also  a large  part  of  the  pedi- 
mental  sculptures,  which  gradually  have  been  pieced 
together.  These  too  are  of  poros.  As  to  their  arrange- 


3T4 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


Fig.  206.  — Heracles  and  Triton,  from  pediment  of  the  Hecatompedum 
(Acropolis  Museum,  Athens). 


ment  in  the  pediments  various  theories  have  been  pro- 
posed. One  plausible  scheme  would  place  on  the  south 
side  of  the  east  pediment  the  figures  of  Heracles  wrestling 
with  the  Triton  (Fig.  206)  and  on  the  other  side  the  three- 
headed monster  known  as  the  Typhon  (Fig.  207).  The 
west  pediment  probably  bore  two  immense  coiled  and 
rearing  serpents,  with  a group  of  gods  between  them. 
These  figures  are  wrought  in  quaint  archaic  style  and,  as 
the  remains  abundantly  show,  were  brightly  adorned  with 
colors.  For  example,  the  Typhon’s  flesh  was  red ; the 
hair  and  beard,  blue  ; the  irises  of  the  eyes,  green ; and  the 
eyebrows,  eyelashes,  and  the  pupils  of  the  eyes,  black. 

At  a later  time,  probably  the  period  of  the  Peisistratids, 
the  temple  was  remodeled.  A Doric  peristyle  was  thrown 
about  it,  and  at  the  same  time  the  columns  at  the  ends  of 
the  cella  may  have  been  changed  to  Ionic.  The  restored 
temple  had  but  one  step,  a single  block  of  which  remains 
in  situ  on  the  north  side.  The  columns  and  walls  of  the 
building  were  of  poros,  but  a part,  if  not  all,  of  the  met- 
opes and  perhaps  the  cornice,  the  roof  tiling,  and  some 
other  members  were  of  marble,  as  were  the  sculptures. 

Portions  of  the  new  pedimental  groups  are  preserved, 
and  their  advanced  style  is  manifest.  The  group  of  the 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


315 


Fig.  207.  — Typhon,  from  pediment  of  the  Hecatompedum  (Acropolis 
Museum,  Athens). 

east  pediment  now  represented  the  battle  of  the  gods  and 
giants.  In  the  center  was  Athena  transfixing  a giant  with 
her  spear  (Fig.  208).  The  recumbent  giants  from  the 
corners  of  the  pediment  and  a few  other  fragments  are 
extant.  The  theme  of  the  west  pediment  is  unknown. 
Traces  of  color  have  been  distinguished  on  the  extant 


Fig.  208.  — Athena  and  the  giant  Enceladus,  from  the  pediment  of  the 
“ Old  Temple”  (Acropolis  Museum,  Athens). 


316 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


figures,  and  doubtless  they  also  were  picked  out  in  color, 
as  were  the  earlier  statues.  Some  fragments  of  a frieze 
have  been  found,  which  may  have  run  about  the  cella, 
though  this  view  has  been  disputed. 

That  the  Old  Temple  was  destroyed  by  the  Persians  is 
generally  agreed.  After  their  return,  following  the  battle 
of  Salamis,  the  Athenians  built  into  the  wall  of  the  Acro- 
polis a considerable  portion  of  the  architrave,  metopes, 
triglyphs,  cornice,  some  of  the  drums  of  the  columns,  and, 
other  members  (p.  56).  Some  of  the  marble  metopes  were 
used  to  face  the  Pelasgian  wall  south  of  the  old  Propylon, 
and  other  architectural  members  were  utilized  in  the  steps 
west  of  the  Parthenon  (p.  260),  and  elsewhere  on  two 
of  the  metopes  had  been  carved  now  famous  inscriptions 
of  485/4  b.c.,  known  as  the  Hecatompedum  inscriptions. 

The  subsequent  fate  of  the  building  has  been  the  subject 
of  endless  discussion.  That  the  peristyle  was  never  rebuilt 
is  fairly  certain.  As  to  the  temple  chamber  the  adherents 
of  one  view  believe  that  it  too  was  not  rebuilt;  a second 
group  of  scholars  maintain  that  all,  or  the  rear  half  of  it, 
was  reconstructed  to  serve  as  a temporary  treasury,  and 
that  it  was  destroyed  by  a fire  in  406  b.c.  by  which,  as 
Xenophon  tells  us  ( Hellen . 1,  6,  1)  “the  old  temple  of 
Athena  was  burned ; ” a third  view  is  that,  after  this  fire,  it 
was  again  rebuilt,  that  it  was  seen  by  Pausanias  and  men- 
tioned by  him  either  in  a lacuna  already  considered  (p.  266) 
or  after  his  description  of  the  Erechtheum,  and  that  it  stood 
even  down  into  the  Middle  Ages.  The  discussion  is  in- 
volved and  we  must  be  content  with  the  expression  of  the 
opinion  that  the  second  view  is  correct.1 

Quite  as  difficult  a problem  is  the  determination  of  the 

1 An  excellent  summary  of  the  argument  is  given  in  D’Ooge’s  The  Acro- 
polis of  Athens , Appendix  III. 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


317 


divinity,  or  divinities,  to  whom  the  Old  Temple  was  sacred. 
Without  much  doubt  the  east  chamber  of  the  temple 
was  dedicated  to  Athena.  Whether  the  rear  rooms  were 
used  as  a treasury  or  were  devoted  to  certain  gods  and 
heroes  is  hard  to  say.  According  to  the  second  of  these 
possibilities  Erechtheus,  Poseidon,  and  Butes  have  been 
suggested,  since  they  were  associated  with  Athena  in  the 
Erephtheum.  Not  less  plausible  would  be  the  conjecture 
that  the  worship  of  the  hero  Cecrops  was  prominent  here, 
as  was  that  of  Erechtheus  in  the  Erechtheum  ; in  that  case 
the  Old  Temple  must  have  been  the  Cecropium.  From 
literary  sources  we  know  that  the  Acropolis  bore  a Ce- 
cropium, or  sanctuary  of  Cecrops,  containing  a grave  of 
that  hero;  in  one  of  the  building  inscriptions  (p.  320)  the 
Caryatid  Porch  and  the  southwest  corner  of  the  Erechtheum 
are  designated  as  “ towards  the  Cecropium”  and  “by  the 
sanctuary  of  Cecrops;”  and  a plausible  restoration  of  one 
of  the  Hecatompedum  inscriptions  makes  the  text  provide 
a prohibition  of  the  priests  from  removing  anything  “from 
the  temple  or  the  pronaos  or  the  altar  or  from  the  south  of 
the  temple  inside  of  the  Cecropium  or  throughout  all  the 
Hecatompedum.”  If  this  hypothesis  is  correct,  much 
else  becomes  clear. 

Pausanias’s  description  of  the  Erechtheum  (Fig.  209)  is 
more  extended  than  that  of  any  other  building  in  Athens. 
“There  is  also  a building,”  he  says,  “called  the  Erechtheum. 
In  front  of  the  entrance  is  an  altar  of  Most  High  Zeus 
where  they  sacrifice  nothing  having  life,  but  after  laying  on 
cakes  are  accustomed  to  make  no  more  use  of  wine.  When 
you  have  entered  there  are  altars,  one  of  Poseidon,  on 
which  they  also  sacrifice  to  Erechtheus  according  to  the 
oracle ; one  of  the  hero  Butes ; and  a third,  of  Hephaestus. 
Upon  the  walls  are  paintings  of  the  family  of  the  Butads. 


Fig.  209.  — Erechtheum,  from  the  southwest. 

In  the  immediate  foreground  are  blocks  from  the  Parthenon;  the  foundation  beyond  is  of  the  “Old  Temple. 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


3T9 


And  (for  the  building  is  double)  there  is  also  sea-water  in  a 
well.  This  is  no  great  marvel,  for  other  people  who  dwell 
inland,  for  example,  the  Aphrodisian  Carians,  have  the 
same ; but  this  well  is  worthy  of  note,  since  it  echoes  the 
sound  of  waves  when  the  south  wind  has  been  blowing. 
There  is  also  the  mark  of  a trident  in  the  rock.  This  is 
said  to  have  appeared  as  a witness  for  Poseidon  in  his  con- 
test for  the  land. 

“The  rest  of  the  city  and  likewise  the  whole  country  are 
sacred  to  Athena,  for  whatever  other  gods  they  are  ac- 
customed to  revere  in  the  villages,  they  honor  Athena  none 
the  less ; but  the  holiest  thing  in  the  commonwealth, 
supposed  to  have  existed  many  years  before  they  came  to- 
gether from  the  villages,  is  a statue  of  Athena  on  the  present 
Acropolis,  then  named  the  Polis  [City].  The  story  about  it 
is  that  it  fell  from  heaven ; but  I shall  not  enter  into  the 
discussion  of  the  question  as  to  whether  this  is  true  or  not. 
A golden  lamp  for  the  goddess  was  made  by  Callimachus. 
They  fill  the  lamp  with  oil  and  then  wait  until  the  same  day 
of  the  following  year ; and  that  oil  suffices  in  the  meantime 
for  the  lamp,  which  shines  day  and  night.  Its  wick  is  of 
Carpasian  flax,  the  only  kind  not  consumed  by  fire.  Stretch- 
ing above  the  lamp  to  the  roof  is  a bronze  palm  tree,  which 
carries  off  the  smoke.  Callimachus,  who  made  the  lamp, 
while  inferior  to  the  foremost  sculptors  in  real  artistic 
ability,  was  so  much  the  best  of  them  all  in  cleverness  that 
he  was  the  first  to  use  the  drill  on  stone,  and  he  gave  himself 
the  title  of  the  ‘Refiner  of  Art,’  or  rather  accepted  the  title 
when  others  gave  it  to  him. 

“In  the  temple  of  the  Polias  a wooden  Hermes  is  set  up. 
This  is  said  to  be  a votive  offering  of  Cecrops,  but  it  cannot 
be  seen  for  the  myrtle  branches  which  cover  it.  Votive 
offerings  worthy  of  note  are  the  following : of  archaic 


32° 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


things,  a folding  chair,  the  work  of  Daedalus ; of  the  spoils 
from  the  Medes,  the  cuirass  of  Masistius,  the  commander 
of  the  cavalry  at  Plataea,  and  a scimitar,  said  to  be  that  of 
Mardonius.” 

The  beautiful  temple  thus  described  is  called  the 
Erechtheum  only  by  Pausanias,  Plutarch,  and  Heliodorus, 
whence  we  may  judge  that  the  name  came  into  use  only  in 


Fig.  2io.  — Erechtheum,  from  the  southeast. 


late  times.  One  of  the  extant  building  inscriptions  calls 
it  “the  temple  in  which  [is]  the  ancient  statue/’  but  this 
unwieldy  nomenclature  was  probably  temporary.  Since 
the  temple  took  the  place  of  an  earlier  temple  on  the  same 
spot,  the  name  Ancient  Temple  seems  later  to  have  be- 
come official,  and  the  building  generally  in  literature 
and  inscriptions  is  thus  designated,  unless,  as  some  scholars 
think,  this  name  was  applied  to  the  Old  Temple,  and  no 
earlier  temple  existed  (p.  337). 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


321 


The  temple  may  have  been  begun  a short  time  before 
the  Peloponnesian  War ; more  probably,  during  the  Peace 
of  Nicias,  about  421  b.c.  We  learn  from  the  inscriptions 
that  it  was  nearly  finished  in  409  b.c.  and  practically  com- 
plete two  years  later.  A dozen  years  later  some  work 
yet  remained  to  be  done,  unless  an  inscription  which  records 
the  details  is  wrongly  dated. 

The  Erechtheum  is  unique  in  several  respects.  Owing 
to  the  uneven  surface  of  the  rock  and  the  necessity  of  pre- 
serving the  sacred  tokens,  the  east  and  south  sides  are 


built  about  nine  feet  higher  than  the  west  and  north  sides. 
Vitruvius  says,  with  some  exaggeration  (4,  8,  4) : “All 
things  which  are  usually  in  front  have  been  transferred 
to  the  sides.”  He  doubtless  refers  to  the  north  entrance 
and  the  porch  of  the  Maidens,  but  other  peculiarities  not 
a few  have  made  the  interpretation  of  the  building 
puzzling. 

The  width  of  the  temple,  measured  on  the  topmost  of  its 
three  steps,  is  about  thirty-seven  feet;  its  length  about 
seventy-four  feet.  The  foundation  is  of  poros,  the  super- 


322 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


structure  of  white  Pentelic  marble,  save  the  background  of 
the  frieze,  which  is  of  dark-gray  Eleusinian  stone.  The 
temple  was  fronted  by  six  ornate  Ionic  columns,  twenty-two 
feet  high.  Five  of  these  are  still  in  place ; the  one  to  the 
north  was  carried  off  by  Lord  Elgin.  Behind  the  columns 
was  a narrow  porch,  with  a coffered  ceiling  of  marble.  From 
the  porch  the  cella  was  entered  through  a central  door,  on 


Fig.  212  — Erechtheum,  from  the  west. 


either  side  of  which  was  a small  window,  a feature  already 
noticed  in  the  Pinacotheca  of  the  Propylaea,  but  not  com- 
mon in  Greek  temples.  At  the  west  end  of  the  temple  four 
half-columns  stand  on  a high  wall  (Fig.  212).  As  recently 
restored  these  columns  with  the  windows  and  marble 
screen  between  them  have  the  characteristics  of  Roman 
construction.  The  intercolumniations  of  the  original 
columns  were  probably  closed  by  wooden  grilles  (Fig.  219), 
except  the  one  to  the  south,  which  was  left  open  (p.  335). 
The  temple  was  crowned  with  the  usual  Ionic  entablature 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


323 


and  wooden  roof,  with  marble  tiles.  The  pediments  con- 
tained no  sculptures. 

At  the  northwest  Corner  of  the  temple  is  the  beautiful 
north  porch.  This  is  about  thirty-five  feet  wide  by  twenty- 
two  feet  deep.  It  is  raised  on  three  steps  and  paved  with 
marble  slabs  resting  apparently  on  a solid  foundation  of 
poros.  Six  Ionic  columns,  about  four  feet  higher  than 
those  of  the  east  porch,  support  the  entablature.  The 
ceiling  is  constructed  of  marble  beams  twenty  feet  long, 
bearing  coffered  slabs  between  them.  The  deep-set  coffers 
are  adorned  with  delicate  moldings;  originally  they  were 
painted  and  in  the  center  of  each  was  a gilded  rosette. 

From  the  porch  a broad  doorway,  fifteen  feet  high,  leads 
into  the  west  cella  (Fig.  213). 

Its  lintel  was  reconstructed  in 
later  times,  yet  not  without 
taste,  and  the  portal  is  still  the 
most  superb  in  Greek  architec- 
ture. The  inner  linings  of  lintel 
and  jambs  are  Byzantine.  The 
porch  extends  toward  the  west 
beyond  the  end  of  the  cella,  and 
here  is  a small  doorway  that 
leads  from  the  porch  into  the 
area  behind  the  temple. 

On  the  south  side  of  the 
building,  directly  opposite  the 
north  porch,  is  the  Caryatid 
porch  (Fig.  214),  or  porch  of  the  Maidens;  for  so  the 
statues  which  support  the  roof  are  called  in  the  inscrip- 
tions. This  porch  measures  about  10  by  15  feet,  and  rises 
above  three  steps.  The  six  figures,  a half  larger  than  life, 
stand  on  a parapet  about  six  feet  high.  On  their  heads 


324 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


they  poise  cushion-like  capitals  on  which  the  entablature 
rests.  As  if  to  lighten  their  burden  the  frieze  of  the  entab- 
lature is  omitted  and  a band  of  dentils  takes  its  place. 
The  ceiling  of  this  porch  also  is  of  marble,  and  has  coffers 
which  formerly  were  colored.  At  the  northeast  corner  an 


Fig.  214.  — Caryatid  porch,  or  Hall  of  the  Maidens. 


opening  has  been  left  in  the  parapet,  to  give  admission  to 
the  porch,  but  probably  not  for  the  general  public,  as  the 
delicate  molding  beneath  the  threshold  seems  to  indicate. 
Inside  the  porch  a flight  of  steps,  now  mostly  destroyed, 
led  down  into  the  west  cella. 

The  stately  figures  of  the  Maidens  are  disposed  with 
great  skill.  The  three  to  the  west  of  the  middle  bend  the 
left  knee  slightly ; those  to  the  east,  the  right  knee,  so  that 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


325 


an  inward  thrust  is  given  to  the  group.  In  contrast  with 
similar  figures  of  other  times,  whose  uplifted,  straining  arms 
emphasize  their  struggling  effort,  the  Maidens  seem  to 
disregard  the  weight  which  their  erect  heads  lightly  bear. 
Yet  the  sculptor  by  means  of  the  masses  of  hair  at  the  neck 
and  the  columnar  effect  of  the  simple  drapery  has  secured 
both  real  and  apparent  stability.  What  masterpieces  the 
Greek  artist  could  create  as  mere  architectural  accessories  ! 
All  the  figures  are  mutilated  now,  and  for  one  taken  away 
by  Lord  Elgin  a terra  cotta  figure  has  been  substituted. 
A modern  Greek  folk-song  relates  how  the  surviving 
Maidens  mourned  for  their  lost  sister,  the  statue  which  is 
now  in  the  British  Museum. 

Still  another  doorway,  having  a block  of  double  thickness 
for  its  lintel,  pierces  the  west  wall  a little  north  of  the 
middle.  Strangely  enough  this  doorway  is  immediately 
beneath  one  of  the  columns.  A possible  explanation  of  its 
position  is  mentioned  later;  in  the  original  plan  of  the 
building  the  unusual  situation  would  have  been  less 
conspicuous. 

The  architectural  details  of  the  Erechtheum  are  treated 
with  an  elegance  that  is  known  in  no  other  Greek  building. 
The  slender  columns  have  an  ornate  base;  their  capitals, 
with  the  double  roll  in  the  volutes,  the  elaborate  moldings, 
and  the  anthemium  band  about  the  necking,  are  rarely 
beautiful.  The  bases  and  capitals  of  the  antae  are  also 
richly  carved  and  their  decoration  in  a modified  form  is 
carried  around  the  entire  temple  (Fig.  215).  When  these 
various  members  were  entire  and  still  bore  their  polychrome 
decoration,  the  charm  of  the  building  must  have  been 
greatly  enhanced. 

The  plan  of  the  temple’s  interior  (Fig.  216)  is  enigmatical. 
The  changes  which  it  underwent  as  a church,  and  later  as  a 


326 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


Fig.  215.  — Carved  border  crowning  wall  and  anta  of  the  Erechtheum. 

The  ornamentation  of  the  anta  is  a little  more  elaborate  than  that  of  the  adjacent  wall 
on  the  left.  The  picture  is  from  a cast. 


Fig.  216.  — Interior  of  the  Erechtheum,  from  the  east  porch. 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


327 


Turkish  harem,  have  obliterated  most  of  the  traces  of  its 
internal  construction.  The  east  wall  and  its  foundation 
were  largely  broken  up  when  the  apse  of  the  church  was 
built ; of  cross-walls  and  floors  only  the  barest  suggestions 
remain  (Fig.  217.)  The  two  walls  which  divide  the  cella 


longitudinally  into  nave  and  aisles  are  unmistakably  Chris- 
tian. Even  the  extant  west  cross-wall,  at  least  in  its  present 
state,  is  probably  Roman,  as  is  shown  by  its  lack  of  juncture 
with  the  foundation  of  the  building  and  by  the  dove-tail 
cramps  which  join  its  marble  stylobate  with  the  walls  of 
the  cella.  A little  east  of  the  center  of  the  building  are 
slight  projections  and  cuttings  in  the  side-walls  which  mark 
the  position  either  of  pilasters  or  of  a cross-wall,  but  these 


328 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


marks  run  no  lower  than  the  orthostatae,  or  wainscoting 
and  the  rock  between  the  sides  at  this  point  bears  no 
traces  of  the  usual  bedding  for  a wall.  In  the  side-walls 
above  the  Roman  cross-wall  are  similar  marks  of  pilasters 
or  a cross-wall.  In  the  northeast  and  southeast  corners 
what  have  been  taken  for  projecting  fragments  of  a floor  a 


trifle  higher  than  that  of  the  east  porch  lie  under  the  antae 
and  upon  the  pavement  of  the  porch.  The  inner  face  of 
the  north  wall  is  too  badly  broken  to  permit  the  tracing 
of  a possible  continuation  of  the  one  fragment,  but  the 
south  wall  is  sufficiently  preserved  to  show  that  the  other 
fragment  could  not  have  extended  much  farther  toward 
the  west.  The  existence  of  a floor  at  this  level,  as  has 
lately  been  observed,  is  therefore  doubtful.  At  the  rear 
of  the  building  fragments  of  floor  project  from  beneath 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


329 


the  wall,  but  here  too  a variation  of  level  between  the  north 
and  south  halves  has  not  been  satisfactorily  explained. 

Such  being  some  of  the  difficulties,  we  must  not  be  sur- 
prised to  find  that  none  of  the  plans  that  have  been  worked 
out  are  altogether  satisfactory.  For  the  present  we  must 
be  content  with  presenting  the  view  that  is  most  commonly 
received,  making  the  reservation  that  much  of  it  is  certainly 
incorrect.  According  to  this  view,  then,  the  temple  was 
divided  by  a cross-wall  into  two  rooms  (Fig.  218).  The 
east  room,  about  thirty-two  feet  wide  and  twenty-four  feet 
deep,  had  its  floor  approximately  on  a level  with  that  of  the 
east  porch,  the  floor  of  the  west  half  of  the  building  being 
about  nine  feet  lower  and  on  a level  with  that  of  the  north 
porch.  A second  cross-wall  in  the  position  of  the  extant 
Roman  wall  divided  the  west  section  into  two  rooms,  about 
fifteen  and  twenty-one  feet  deep,  respectively.  Instead 
of  being  a solid  wall,  this  is  supposed  to  have  been  a screen 
wall  bearing  the  columns  which  supported  the  ceiling,  but, 
as  has  recently  been  argued  with  much  reason,  a “bent 
beam’’  mentioned  in  the  building  inscriptions  may  have 
crossed  the  temple  at  this  point,  the  columns,  if  they  existed 
at  all,  being  a later  addition  (Fig.  219).  Beneath  the  floor 
of  the  most  westerly  chamber  the  rock  has  been  hewn  away 
to  form  a large  cistern,  which  may  have  contained  the 
“sea-water  in  a well,”  though  this  location  is  not  without 
topographical  difficulties.  The  central  room  must  also  have 
had  an  open  space  beneath  its  floor,  possibly  for  the  sacred 
serpent;  for  at  its  northwest  corner  is  a small  doorway 
under  the  wall,  connecting  with  a hollow  beneath  the  ad- 
jacent corner  of  the  north  porch,  where  certain  curious 
depressions  have  been  identified  with  almost  complete 
unanimity  as  the  “mark  of  a trident  in  the  rock.”  The 
depressions  seem  to  have  been  interesting  to  visitors,  for  an 


330 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


opening  was  left  in  the  floor  of  the  porch  to  permit  inspec- 
tion. In  the  ceiling  of  the  porch  a similar  opening  is 
seen,  which,  in  the  opinion  of  some,  was  made  in  order  to 
expose  the  trident-mark,  as  a divine  token,  to  the  sky ; the 
opening  in  the  ceiling,  however,  has  been  observed  to  be 


Fig.  219.  — Interior  of  the  southwest  corner  of  the  Erechtheum,  restored. 


farther  south,  and  not  directly  over  the  opening  in  the 
floor.  Part  of  the  lintel  over  the  small  door  under  the 
wall  is  a heavy  block  in  the  back  of  which  a vertical  hole  Is 
cut  in  such  a position  that  we  must  regard  it  as  original. 
Possibly  the  altar  of  the  Thyechoos,  or  Sacrifice-pourer 
(or  Thyecoos,  Incense-diviner),  located  by  the  inscriptions 
in  the  north  porch,  was  here,  the  hole  in  the  ceiling  having 
some  connection  with  the  altar. 

The  east  chamber  of  the  temple  is  supposed  to  have  been 
devoted  to  Athena  Polias,  Protectress  of  the  City.  In  her 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


33 1 


cella  must  have  stood  the  “ancient  image”  which  “fell 
from  heaven.”  For  this  image  was  made  the  peplos 
brought  in  the  Panathenaic  procession  (p.  293).  Whether 
the  statue  was  erect  or  seated  we  do  not  know ; we  are 
probably  safe  in  assuming  that  it  was  a standing  figure 
and  of  crude  workmanship.  It  seems  to  have  been  kept  in 
a small  chapel,  or  aedicula.  Near  the  statue  were  the  lamp 
of  Callimachus  and  the  brazen  palm  tree  which  Pausanias 
describes. 

To  Erechtheus,  who  is  here  identified  with  Poseidon,  must 
be  assigned  the  west  cella.  Why  this  chamber  was  divided 
by  the  screen-wall,  which,  of  course,  had  a doorway  in  it, 
is  not  clear.  Still  more  curious  is  a niche,  at  the  side 
of  the  metopon,  or  pilaster  (p.  335),  of  the  inscriptions,  in 
the  corner  over  the  doorway  into  the  porch  of  the  Maid- 
ens. The  ceiling  of  both  rooms  of  the  temple  was  of 
wood,  with  painted  coffers.  The  inscriptions  supply  many 
details  of  its  construction  and  decoration. 

The  problem  of  the  plan  of  the  temple  is  closely  bound 
up  with  that  of  the  route  of  Pausanias.  Since  he  comes 
from  the  east,  we  should  expect  him  to  enter  by  the  front 
door  and  to  notice  the  altar  of  Zeus  Most  High  “in  front 
of  the  entrance”  at  the  east  end  of  the  temple.  But  he 
first  mentions  as  “inside  the  building”  the  three  altars  of 
Poseidon-Erechtheus,  Butes,  and  Hephaestus,  and  these 
we  should  expect  to  find  not  in  the  cella  of  Athena  but  in 
that  of  Erechtheus.  Accordingly  many  have  thought  that 
he  entered  by  the  north  door ; but  this  explanation  is  not 
more  free  from  difficulties  than  the  other.  We  get  little 
direct  aid  from  the  remainder  of  Pausanias’s  description. 
The  paintings  of  the  Butads  he  saw  “on  the  walls.”  A 
scholiast  on  Aristides  mentions  a painting  of  Erechtheus, 
whom  Butes  succeeded  in  the  kingship,  as  being  “behind 


33  2 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


the  goddess.”  Supposing  this  painting  to  have  been  a 
part  of  the  painting  of  the  Butads,  these  may  be  located  on 
the  cross-wall,  but  whether  on  its  east  or  its  west  face 
is  uncertain.  Since  the  discovery  that  the  east  chamber  was 
lighted  by  windows  (Fig.  21 1)  the  view  that  the  paintings 
were  in  this  room  has  been  strengthened.  Of  the  well  of 
sea-water  Pausanias  merely  says  that  it  was  “ within.” 
Here  for  the  first  time  he  remarks,  “for  the  building  is 
double,”  and  mentions  directly  the  well  and  the  mark  of 
the  trident,  naming  the  latter  in  this  place,  perhaps,  in 
order  to  connect  the  miraculous  tokens. 

The  statement  that  follows  respecting  the  image  of 
Athena  is  troublesome,  no  matter  by  what  door  we  assume 
that  Pausanias  entered.  If  the  cross-wall  were  solid  and 
he  entered  by  the  north  door,  he  must  now  have  gone  back 
to  the  front  entrance  which  he  had  formerly  passed  without 
remark.  If  he  entered  by  the  east  door,  he  must  have 
left  at  once  to  visit  the  west  room  before  recording  the 
presence  of  the  image  and  the  objects  near  it,  and  now  have 
returned  again.  Either  hypothesis  is  sufficiently  unnatural. 
A curious  “sign”  recounted  by  Philochorus  may  cast  light 
on  the  dilemma.  He  says,  according  to  Dionysius  of 
Halicarnassus  ( De  Din.  3) : “A  dog  entered  the  temple  of 
the  Polias,  descended  into  the  Pandroseum,  mounted  upon 
the  altar  of  Zeus  Herceius  under  the  olive  tree,  and  lay 
down;  now  it  is  a tradition  among  the  Athenians  not  to 
admit  a dog  to  the  Acropolis.”  The  Pandroseum,  with 
the  altar  of  Zeus  and  the  olive  tree,  was  west  of  the  temple, 
and  if  we  assume  an  inner  stairway  between  the  rooms  of 
the  temple,  the  incident  is  readily  understood.  The  dog 
enters  the  east  door,  descends  the  stairs,  and  goes  straight 
out  the  west  door  into  the  Pandroseum.  Otherwise  her 
course  is  impossibly  circuitous,  or  else  she  did  not  enter 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


333 


into  the  cella  of  the  Polias  at  all.  An  inner  stairway  of 
some  twenty  steps  is  found  in  the  Ionic  temple  of  Apollo 
at  Didyma  in  Asia  Minor,  leading  down  from  the  front 
vestibule  into  the  cella.  Such  an  arrangement  would  not 
entirely  explain  the  route  of  Pausanias,  but  it  would  make 
this  easier  to  understand.  His  description  may  not  be 
quite  consecutive,  or  our  whole  conception  of  the  plan  may 
be  erroneous.  A theory  recently  published,  that  the 
floor  of  the  entire  temple  was  on  one  level,  represented  by 
that  of  the  north  porch,  and  that  steps  descended  into  the 
cella,  as  at  Didyma  and  also  at  Sardes,  has  much  in  its 
favor. 

If  the  opinions  of  some  scholars  be  correct,  the  architect 
of  the  Erechtheum,  like  the  architect  of  the  Propylaea 
(p.  236),  met  with  diffi- 
culties that  caused  him 
to  curtail  his  plan.  Ac- 
cording to  these  views 
the  original  plan  (Fig. 

220)  contemplated  a 
building  nearly  twice  as 
long  as  the  present  struc- 
ture, with  a portico  at 
the  west  end  similar  to  the  portico  at  the  east ; the  north 
porch  and  the  porch  of  the  Maidens  would  then  stand  at 
the  middle  of  the  sides  of  the  building.  The  theory,  how- 
ever, cannot  be  said  to  have  been  fully  demonstrated. 

The  votive  offerings  of  which  Pausanias  speaks  were 
only  a few  of  the  many  that  the  Erechtheum  contained. 
Herodotus  informs  us  that  the  cuirass  of  Masistius  was 
covered  with  golden  scales.  The  sword  of  Mardonius  and 
the  silver-footed  throne  of  Xerxes  were  once  stolen  by  a 
defaulting  treasurer  named  Glaucetas,  of  whom  an  in- 


Fig.  220. 


Possible  original  plan  of  the 
Erechtheum. 


334 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


scription  recently  found  on  the  Acropolis  and  Demos- 
thenes speak.  From  the  association  of  the  two  “ spoils” 
in  the  story  of  the  theft,  the  hypothesis  is  possible  that  the 
throne  also  was  in  the  Erechtheum  instead  of  the  Parthenon 
(p.  306).  Extant  inscriptions  name  a number  of  other 
offerings  which  were  stored  in  the  temple.  Among  these 
were  silver  bowls,  “a  little  silver  owl  on  a wooden  pillar,” 
“a  gilded  shield  dedicated  by  Iphicrates,”  and  “an  ivory 
cavalry-dagger.”  The  placing  of  the  objects  was  designated 
by  various  terms,  as,  “by  the  paras tas,”  “behind  the  door 
on  the  right  as  you  enter,”  and  “in  the  manger.” 

The  reference  in  the  inscriptions  to  “the  columns  on  the 
wall  toward  the  Pandroseum  ” locates  this  precinct  definitely 
as  west  of  the  Erechtheum.  Of  the  sanctuary  and  the 
objects  which  it  contained  Pausanias  says:  “About  the 
olive  tree  they  have  nothing  to  say  further  than  that  this 
was  the  goddess’s  token  in  the  contest  for  the  land.  They 
add  also  that  the  olive  tree  was  burned  down  when  the 
Mede  set  fire  to  the  city  of  the  Athenians,  and  that  after 
it  burned,  on  the  same  day  it  grew  up  about  two  cubits. 
Contiguous  to  the  temple  of  Athena  is  a temple  of  Pandro- 
sus.  She  was  the  only  one  of  the  sisters  innocent  in  the 
matter  of  the  trust”  (p.  155). 

The  west  door  of  the  Erechtheum  and  the  side  door  of 
the  north  porch  opened  into  the  Pandroseum,  which  doubt- 
less had  another  entrance  to  the  west.  A bedding  in  the 
rock  shows  the  location  of  the  north  wall,  which  ran  from 
the  slanted  corner  of  the  porch  obliquely  toward  the  west, 
then  turned  southwards.  Pausanias  speaks  of  a temple 
of  Pandrosus  “contiguous  to  the  temple  of  Athena.”  At 
the  southeast  corner  of  the  precinct  are  traces  of  some  struc- 
ture which  has  disappeared.  No  bedding  in  the  rock  can 
be  seen,  but  the  wall  of  the  Erechtheum  south  of  the  west 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


335 


door  is  left  unfinished,  the  steps  which  extend  from  the 
north  porch  cease  beyond  this  rear  door,  the  steps  and 
moldings  of  the  porch  of  the  Maidens  end  irregularly  at 
the  corner  of  the  temple,  under  this  corner  is  a large  open 
space  spanned  by  a huge  block  now  supported  by  an  iron 
post,  and  at  the  edge  of  this  space  the  wall  of  the  temple 
becomes  thinner  and  tapers  inward ; all  these  are  indica- 
tions of  the  original  presence  of  some  important  structure 
that  the  builders  of  the  Erechtheum  dared  not  destroy; 
in  connection  with  this,  in  fact,  they  may  have  constructed 
the  niche  and  metopon  mentioned  above  (p.  331),  and  have 
left  open  the  south  intercolumniation  between  the  west 
columns.  Here  is  usually  located  the  Cecropium  (p.  317). 
This  may,  however,  be  the  site  of  the  temple  of  Pandrosus, 
which  many  have  despaired  of  finding,  some  even  suppos- 
ing Pausanias  in  error  as  to  its  existence. 

The  sacred  olive  tree  and  the  altar  of  Zeus  Herceius  in 
the  Pandroseum  have  already  been  mentioned.  Hero- 
dotus differs  somewhat  in  his  account  of  the  miracle  of  the 
olive  tree.  He  asserts  that  after  its  destruction  by  the 
Persians  it  grew  about  one  cubit  on  the  second  day  — but 
one  must  not  be  too  exacting ; either  version  is  sufficiently 
marvelous. 

Was  there  an  earlier  temple  on  the  site  of  the  Erech- 
theum ? Some  of  the  lower  stones  in  the  foundation,  while 
they  seem  to  occupy  their  original  bedding,  have  been 
cut  on  their  upper  surface  for  their  present  use,  and  traces 
of  what  seems  to  have  been  an  earlier  entrance  can  be  seen 
near  the  west  door  of  the  Erechtheum.  These  data  do  not 
yield  decisive  evidence.  The  sacred  tokens,  however, 
existed  long  years  before  the  erection  of  the  Erechtheum, 
and  must  have  had  some  protection.  Whether  this  pro- 
tection was  afforded  by  a temple  or  by  a mere  inclosure  is 


336 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


Fig.  221.  — Erechtheum,  at  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  century.  From  a drawing  by  Stuart  and  Revett. 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


337 


the  question  at  issue.  The  strong  probability  is  that  the 
Erechtheum  is  not  the  first  temple  built  over  them,  and 
the  name  Ancient  Temple,  if  correctly  applied  to  the  pres- 
ent building,  as  is  likely  (p.  320),  may  imply  an  earlier  tem- 
ple of  great  antiquity.  On  its  literary  side  especially  the 
problem  is  linked  with  that  of  the  Old  Temple  (p.  316,  note) 


Fig.  222.  — Relief  from  an  archaic  pediment,  probably  representing  the  old 

Erechtheum. 


Not  without  reason  some  scholars  have  thought  that 
the  predecessor  of  the  Erechtheum  is  imitated  on  a small 
scale  in  a poros  relief  found  in  fragments  and  now  preserved 
in  the  Acropolis  Museum  (Fig.  222).  That  the  relief 
represents  some  building  connected  with  the  sacred  olive 
tree  is  reasonably  certain.  In  front  of  the  little  temple 
on  the  relief  stands  a figure,  apparently  of  Athena,  and 
worshipers  are  approaching.  The  relief  was  originally 
picked  out  in  colors. 


338 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


“What  made  me  wonder  most  were  certain  matters  that 
are  not  familiar  to  everybody,  so  I shall  write  what  happens. 
Not  far  from  the  temple  of  the  Polias  dwell  two  girls,  whom 
the  Athenians  call  Arrhephori.  For  a certain  period  they 
live  with  the  goddess,  and  when  the  festival  is  on,  they  per- 
form at  night  the  following  ceremony  : They  put  upon  their 
heads  what  the  priestess  of  Athena  gives  them  to  carry, 
neither  she  nor  they  knowing  what  she  gives  them.  Now 
there  is  an  inclosure  in  the  city  not  far  from  the  so-called 
Aphrodite  in  the  Gardens  and  through  it  a natural  descent 
underground.  Here  the  girls  go  down  and  leave  below 
what  they  carry ; then  they  receive  something  else  which  is 
covered  and  take  it  away.  Thereafter  they  are  dismissed 
and  other  girls  are  brought  to  the  Acropolis  in  their  stead.” 
This  curious  passage  must  be  left  to  speak  for  itself ; the 
study  of  it  belongs  to  mythology  rather  than  topography. 
The  court  of  the  Arrhephori  had  a space  in  which  the  girls 
could  play  ball,  and  near  it  was  situated  a bronze  statue 
of  Isocrates  as  a youth. 

In  the  vicinity  of  the  Erechtheum  numerous  statues  of 
priestesses  seem  to  have  stood ; the  bases  of  several  are 
preserved.  In  a passage  which  can  now  be  supplemented 
from  the  inscribed  base,  Pausanias  mentions  the  statue 
of  a maidservant  of  one  of  the  priestesses.  “Next  to 
the  temple  of  Athena,”  he  says,  “is  the  image,  about  a 
cubit  in  height,  of  an  old  woman  named  Sye — , who  is 
said  to  have  been  a servant  of  Lysimache.”  Unfor- 
tunately the  end  of  the  woman’s  name  is  corrupted  in 
our  manuscripts  of  Pausanias,  and  the  same  letters  are 
broken  away  on  the  stone.  The  diminutive  base,  about 
19  inches  high  and  8 by  11  inches  at  the  top,  was  found 
near  the  temple,  where  the  statue  caught  Pausanias’s 
attention.  At  the  end  of  the  inscription  is  the  name  of 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


339 


the  sculptor,  Nicomachus,  who  lived  in  the  third  cen- 
tury B.C. 

Pliny  tells  us  {Nat.  hist.  34,  76)  that  Demetrius,  a sculp- 
tor of  the  fourth  century  b.c.,  made  the  statue  of  a Ly- 
simache  “who  was  priestess  of  Athena  for  sixty-four  years.” 
Possibly  this  was  the  mistress  of  the  old  woman  of  whom  we 
have  just  spoken;  very  likely,  too,  she  was  the  Lysimache 
who,  according  to  Plutarch  {De  vit.  pud.  14),  replied  to  the 
demand  of  some  muleteers  that  she  pour  a libation  for  them  : 
“But  I am  afraid  that  it  will  become  hereditary.”  A small 
round  base  has  been  found  which  with  little  doubt  belonged 
to  Demetrius’s  statue.  The  mutilated  inscription  upon 
it  seems  to  say  that  the  priestess  lived  eighty-one  years, 
served  Athena  sixty-four  years,  saw  four  generations  of 
children,  and  was  the  mother  of  a certain  man  of  the  deme 
of  Phlya  whose  name  is  lost. 

A remarkable  series  of  archaic  female  statues  was  found 
in  1886  in  a pit  northwest  of  the  Erechtheum,  where  they 
must  have  been  thrown  as  refuse  after  the  havoc  wrought 
by  the  Persians.  These  statues  vary  greatly  in  size  and 
style  and  represent  a long  period  of  artistic  development. 
Their  characteristics  cannot  be  summed  up  in  a few  sen- 
tences. One  of  the  group  (Fig.  223)  has  been  assigned, 
probably  correctly,  to  a base  which  bears  an  inscription 
containing  the  name  of  Antenor,  the  sculptor  of  the  first 
statues  of  the  Tyrannicides  in  the  Agora  (p.  105).  Some  of 
the  figures  are  very  elaborate  in  their  dress  and  coiffure 
(Fig.  224).  The  most  advanced  in  style,  as  well  as  the 
most  charming  of  the  series,  is  one  dedicated  by  a certain 
Euthydicus  (Fig.  225).  Very  interesting  are  the  abundant 
traces  of  colors,  red,  blue,  green,  and  gray,  applied  not  only 
to  the  borders  of  the  garments  but  to  the  hair,  eyes,  and 
lips  of  the  figures  themselves.  The  influence  on  the  style 


340 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


and  technique  of  the  figures  produced  by  the  artistic  schools 
of  Chios  and  other  islands  is  now  generally  acknowledged, 
but  they  are  our  best  representatives  of  the  statues  of  Athe- 


Fig.  223.  — Archaic  statue 
by  Antenor  (Acropolis 
Museum,  Athens). 


Fig.  224.  — Archaic  female 
figure  (Acropolis  Mu- 
seum, Athens). 


The  lower  part  of  the  legs  and 

nian  art  before  the  Persian  in-  feet  of  the  statue  have  recently 

vasion.  Originally  the  statues 

must  have  been  set  up  in  various  parts  of  the  precinct  of 
Athena,  to  whom  they  were  dedicated ; they  are  now  the 
choicest  possession  of  the  Acropolis  Museum. 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


34i 


Fig.  225. — Archaic  statue,  dedicated  by  Euthydicus 
(Acropolis  Museum,  Athens). 


342 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


BETWEEN  THE  ERECHTHEUM  AND  THE  PROPYLAEA 

Pausanias  continues:  “ There  are  also  large  brazen 

statues  of  men  facing  each  other  to  fight;  one  they  call 
Erechtheus,  the  other  Eumolpus.  Of  course  it  has  not 
escaped  the  notice  of  any  Athenian  who  knows  antiquities 
that  the  man  who  was  killed  by  Erechtheus  was  Immaradus 
son  of  Eumolpus.  Upon  the  base  is  also  a statue  of  The- 
aenetus,  who  was  the  prophet  of  Tolmides,  and  one  of 
Tolmides  himself,  who  as  commander  of  the  Athenian  fleet 
harassed  both  the  land  of  the  Peloponnesians  and  other 
people.  . . . And  there  are  ancient  statues  of  Athena. 
These  are  not  melted,  but  they  are  blackened  and  too  fragile 
to  endure  a blow;  for  the  flame  touched  them  when  the 
king,  after  the  Athenians  had  entered  their  ships,  took  the 
city  wasted  of  its  youth.  There  is  also  a boar  hunt  (I  do  not 
know  for  certain  whether  it  is  the  Caledonian  boar  hunt 
or  not)  and  Cycnus  fighting  with  Hera- 
cles. ” This  is  a considerable  list,  but 
of  them  all  we  know  little  or  nothing 
more  than  Pausanias  tells  us.  He  next 
mentions  a “ Theseus  about  sixteen  years 
old,  lifting  the  stone  (Fig.  226)  and  tak- 
ing the  deposit  of  Aegeus  [his  sandals 
and  sword,  as  tokens  of  recognition  which 
Aegeus  left  for  his  son]  ...  all  alike  of 
bronze  except  the  stone.”  Then  with  the 
words,  “And  they  also  set  up  another  deed  of  Theseus,” 
he  introduces  a digression  on  the  Marathonian  bull,  closing 
with  the  statement  that  “the  offering  is  by  the  deme  of 
Marathon.”  This  type  is  familiar  on  Athenian  coins,  and 
in  vase  paintings  and  sculpture. 

“I  cannot  say  definitely  on  what  grounds  they  set  up  a 


Fig.  226.  — Theseus 
discovering  the 
sandals  of  his 
father  Aegeus; 
Athenian  coin. 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


343 


bronze  statue  of  Cylon,  notwithstanding  his  having  plotted 
to  create  a tyranny.  Probably  it  was  because  he  was  very 
beautiful  and  not  unknown  to  fame,  since  he  won  an  Olym- 
pic victory  in  the  double  course  and  had  the  fortune  to 
marry  the  daughter  of  Theagenes,  the  tyrant  of  Megara.” 
Pausanias  may  be  correct,  but  a more  probable  solution 
of  the  difficulty  lies  in  the  suggestion  that  the  Athenians 
erected  the  statue  as  an  expiatory  offering  at  the  time  when 
the  city  was  purified  from  its  blood-guiltiness,  a short 
time  after  the  perfidious  murder  of  Cylon  (p.  362). 

The  statues  of  Theseus,  Cylon,  and  the  others  just  men- 
tioned must  have  stood  between  the  Erechtheum  and  the 
Propylaea,  toward  which  Pausanias  is  now  returning.  Prob- 
ably they  were  nearer  the  Erechtheum,  for  we  are  now 
brought  to  two  conspicuous  objects  which  would  seem 
to  have  stood  about  halfway  between  the  two  buildings, 
where  the  rock  is  hewn  for  the  bedding  of  two  large  bases 
(Fig.  133).  “In  addition  to  the  objects  which  have  been 
mentioned  there  are  two  tithe-offerings  from  Athenian 
wars.  One  of  these  is  the  bronze  statue  of  Athena  from  the 
spoils  of  the  Medes  who  landed  at  Marathon.  The  statue 
is  the  work  of  Pheidias,  and  the  battle  of  Lapiths  and  Cen- 
taurs on  the  shield  and  other  reliefs  are  said  to  have  been 
embossed  by  Mys,  though,  as  in  the  rest  of  the  works  of 
Mys,  the  design  was  by  Parrhasius  son  of  Evenor.  The 
head  of  the  spear  and  the  crest  of  the  helmet  of  this  Athena 
are  visible  as  you  sail  up  from  Sunium.  The  other  offering 
is  a bronze  chariot,  a tithe  from  the  spoils  of  the  Boeotians 
and  the  Euboean  Chalcidians.” 

Demosthenes  (19,  272)  calls  the  first  of  these  works  the 
“great  bronze  Athena,”  and  from  his  remarks  we  gather 
that  it  was  made  from  the  spoils  of  the  Persian  Wars,  and 
not  merely  of  the  battle  of  Marathon.  Later  it  received 


344 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


the  name  of  Promachus,  or  “ Champion,”  to  distinguish  it 
from  the  other  two  famous  statues  of  Athena  on  the  Acro- 
polis. A combination  of  evidence  indicates  that  it  was 
some  twenty-five  or  thirty  feet  in  height.  Its  site  may 
have  been  the  larger  of  the  two  cuttings  mentioned  above. 
This  cutting  is  about  16  by  28  feet  in  size  and  almost 
exactly  in  line  with  the  axis  of  the  Propylaea,  a coinci- 
dence which  may  or  may  not  be  significant.  Mys  and 
Parrhasius,  to  whom  are  ascribed  the  decoration  on  the 
shield  and  other  parts  of  the  statue,  flourished  in  the  latter 
part  of  the  fifth  century  b.c.  ; the  statue,  however,  seems 
to  have  been  erected  before  461  b.c.,  for  a statue  of  Arth- 
mius,  a treacherous  ambassador  of  the  Persian  king,  was 
set  up  in  that  year  “by  the  great  bronze  Athena  (Demos- 
thenes, l.c).”  The  chasing  must,  therefore,  have  been 
added  later. 

The  type  of  the  statue  is  not  wholly  certain.  Athenian 
coins  represent  it  on  the  Acropolis  between  the  Propylaea 
and  the  Parthenon  (Fig.  227),  but  in 
varying  style  and  of  exaggerated  size. 
A bronze  statue  destroyed  in  Con- 
stantinople in  1205  has  with  much 
reason  been  supposed  to  be  the  Pro- 
machus. If  this  identification  is  correct 
we  have  a description  of  it  written  by 
the  Byzantine  historian  Nicetas  Choni- 
ates.  The  statue  of  which  he  writes 
stood  in  the  Forum  of  Constantine  and 
was  demolished  in  the  belief  that  the 
outstretched  arm  had  summoned  the 
Crusaders.  The  goddess  was  represented  as  standing,  thirty 
feet  high.  Her  robe  reached  to  her  feet  and  was  gathered 
in  at  the  waist  with  a girdle.  She  displayed  the  aegis  with 


Fig.  227.  — Acropolis, 
with  Parthenon, 
Propylaea  and  its 
approach,  Athena 
Promachus,  and  the 
cave  of  Pan;  Athe- 
nian coin. 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


345 


the  Gorgon’s  head.  Above  her  helmet  nodded  a horse- 
hair plume,  and  her  hair  was  braided  and  fastened  behind, 
except  some  locks  that  stole  over  her  brow.  Her  left 
hand  grasped  the  folds  of  her  robe ; her  right  was  extended 
toward  the  south,  whither  her  eyes  also  gazed.  Her  ex- 
pression was  sweet  and  yearning,  and  her  lips  were  parted 
as  if  about  to  speak.  Nicetas  mentions  neither  spear  nor 
shield ; doubtless  they  had  perished  before  his  time. 

The  other  of  the  rock-cuttings,  about  18  feet  square 
and  still  preserving  several  blocks  of  the  base  which  stood 
upon  it,  may  mark  the  location  of  the  Chalcidian  chariot. 
Herodotus  saw  it  before  he  went  away  with  the  colonists 
for  Thurii  “on  the  left  hand  as  you  enter  into  the  Propy- 
laea;”  but  he  refers  to  the  early  Propylum,  and  the  site 
of  the  chariot  evidently  was  changed  later  (p.  229).  The 
elegiac  couplets  on  the  base,  as  recorded  by  Herodotus 
(5,  77)  and  others  (Diod.  10,  24,  3 ; Pseudo-Simonides 
132,  with  reversed  couplets),  read,  in  a free  rendering:  — 

“ Having  subdued  by  their  might  the  Boeotian  nation  and 
Chalcis, 

Athens’  valorous  sons,  bold  in  the  labors  of  war, 

Quenched  in  dark  thralldom  of  iron  the  insolent  pride  of 
their  foemen ; [mares.” 

Now,  as  a tithe  of  the  spoils,  Pallas  they  laud  with  these 

Fragments  not  of  a single  base  but  of  two  bases  bearing 
this  inscription  have  been  found,  one  in  letters  of  the  sixth, 
the  other  in  letters  of  the  fifth,  century.  On  the  earlier 
base  the  hexameter  lines  are  interchanged ; this  makes  it 
evident  that  Herodotus  copied  the  later  inscription.  The 
first  probably  was  demolished  by  the  Persians ; the  res- 
toration may  have  been  made  in  457  b.c.,  after  the  battle 
of  Oenophyta,  or  perhaps  in  445  b.c.,  after  Pericles’s  cam- 
paign in  Euboea.  Herodotus  tells  us  that  the  chains  of 


346  ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 

the  captured  Chalcidians  and  Euboeans  were,  up  to  his 
time,  hung  on  walls  blackened  by  fire  and  “opposite  the 
megaron  turned  toward  the  west.”  On  the  hypothesis 
that  this  megaron  was  part  of  the  Old  Temple,  the  conjec- 
ture has  been  made  that  the  chariot  when  first  set  up  (506 
b.c.)  was  near  the  Old  Temple.  This  is  possible  but  not 
very  convincing,  for  we  have  no  certain  knowledge  what  or 
where  the  megaron  was.  The  actual  base  may  be  esti- 
mated as  about  ten  feet  long. 

Pausanias  has  already  told  us 
of  a statue  of  Pericles  on  the 
Acropolis  “ in  another  place  ” 
(p.  307) ; now  he  brings  us  to  it. 
“Two  other  votive  offerings  are 
Pericles^  son  of  Xanthippus,  and 
the  most  worth  seeing  of  the 
works  of  Pheidias,  a statue  of 
Athena  named  Lemnian  from 
its  dedicators.”  Pausanias  is 
now  near  the  Propylaea,  close 
to  which  these  statues  must 
have  stood.  The  sculptor  of  the 
statue  of  Pericles  is  given  by 
Pliny  as  Cresilas,  and  a small 
base  bearing  a mutilated  inscrip- 
tion, which  may  be  amended 
to  read,  “Of  Pericles;  Cresilas 
made  it,”  probably  belongs  to 
the  statue  of  the  Acropolis. 
Several  copies  of  the  bust  of  a bearded  and  helmeted  man 
of  dignified  and  noble  appearance  (Fig.  228)  exist  and  are 
generally  thought  to  have  been  copied  from  this  statue  of 
Cresilas.  Plutarch  tells  us  ( Pericles  3)  that  Pericles’s  head 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


347 


was  “ elongated  and  unsymmetrical,  whence  his  likenesses 
are  nearly  all  helmeted.” 

Pausanias’s  estimate  of  the  Lemnian  Athena  is  sustained 
by  the  appreciations  of  other  writers.  Lucian  in  his  Imag- 
ines makes  Lycinus  ask  (§4):  “ Which  of  the  works  of 
Pheidias  have  you  praised  most?”  Polystratus  replies: 
“What  other  than  the  Lemnian,  on  which  Pheidias  deigned 
to  inscribe  his  name?”  So  for  his  ideal  composite  statue 
(cf.  pp.  170,  254L)  Lucian  proposes  that  “ the  Lemnian  and 
Pheidias  shall  furnish  the  contour  of  the  whole  face,  the  soft- 
ness of  the  cheeks,  and  the  well-proportioned  nose.”  Pliny 
says  (Nat.  hist.  34,  54)  that  “Pheidias  made  of  bronze  a 
Minerva  of  such  surpassing  beauty  that  she  received  the 
name  of. ‘Forma.’”  And  an  epigram  in  the  Palatine  An- 
thology (No.  169)  which  apparently  refers  to  the  Lemnian 
declares : — 

“Gaze  on  the  beauty  divine  of  the  foam-sprung  goddess  of 
Paphos, 

Then  you  will  say : ‘ I approve,  Phrygian,  you  for  your 
choice ; ’ 

But  when  you  next  let  your  eyes  rest  on  Athenian  Pallas, 

Then  you  will  cry : ‘ What  a boor,  Paris,  to  pass  this  one  by.’  ” 

Himerius  gives  us  a clew  for  the  recognition  of  the  type 
of  the  statue  (Or.  21,  4).  “Pheidias,”  he  tells  us,  “did  not 
always  model  Zeus  or  forge  Athena  in  armor,  but  extended 
his  art  to  other  gods,  and  the  Virgin’s  cheeks  he  adorned 
with  a blush,  that  by  this  instead  of  a helmet  her  beauty 
might  be  hid.”  In  accord  with  this  hint  a conjectural 
restoration  of  the  Lemnian  Athena  has  been  made  by  com- 
bining a type  of  statue  found  at  Dresden  with  a head  from 
Bologna  which  had  previously  been  taken  for  that  of  a boy, 
but  which  exactly  fits  the  cavity  in  the  torso.  The  aegis 
proves  that  the  figure  is  that  of  Athena,  and  a relief  from 


348 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


Epidaurus  shows  us  that  the  right  hand  held  a helmet  at 
which  the  goddess  is  gazing,  while  the  left  hand  grasped 
a spear  (Fig.  229).  The  clear-cut  lines  indicate  that  the 
original  was  of  bronze.  Although  there  is  some  dissent, 
the  correctness  of  the  identification  has  been  generally 
accepted. 

“The  virginal  face,”  says  one  critic,1  “conceived  and 
wrought  with  ineffable  refinement,  is  as  far  removed  from 
sensual  charm  as  from  the  ecstasy  of  a Madonna.  The  god- 
dess does  not  reveal  herself  as  one  who  can  be  ‘ touched  with 
the  feeling  of  our  infirmities ’ ; but  by  the  power  of  her 
pure,  passionless  beauty  she  sways  our  minds  and  hearts.” 

Of  the  multitude  on  the  Acropolis  the  Lemnian  Athena 
is  the  last  work  of  art  that  Pausanias  mentions.  He  closes 
this  portion  of  his  description  with  a few  words  about  the 
walls,  which  we  have  already  studied  (Chapter  III).  A few 
other  points  require  brief  consideration. 

Above  archaic  house-walls  nearly  west  of  the  Erechtheum, 
in  a corner  of  the  wall  of  the  Acropolis,  are  the  foundations 
of  two  buildings  of  the  early  classical  period  (Fig.  133). 
One  of  these  is  a large  rectangular  structure,  possibly  a 
stoa ; it  measures  about  88  by  35  feet,  and  is  built  against 
the  wall  of  the  Acropolis.  Above  the  east  end  of  this  stoa 
is  the  foundation  of  a later  building  approximately  40 
feet  square ; whether  this  was  a shrine  or  a treasury  we  do 
not  know.  Further  west,  near  the  Propylaea,  are  other  re- 
mains. Lowest  of  all  is  a large  cistern  divided  into  two 
parts.  Into  it  flowed  the  water  of  a conduit  leading  from 
near  the  Brauronium.  Over  the  remains  of  the  cistern  is 
the  massive  foundation  of  a building  of  the  fifth  century 
b.c.,  in  the  form  of  a stoa,  about  60  by  65  feet  in  size.  It 
had  a front  portico  and  a large  chamber  divided  by  a parti- 

1 Tarbell,  A History  of  Greek  Art , p.  189. 


Fig.  229.  — Lemnian  Athena,  restored  (Strassburg  Museum). 

The  identification  of  the  statue  as  the  Lemnia  is  disputed.  The  replicas  from  which  this 
restoration  was  made  are  two  torsos  in  the  museum  of  Dresden  and  a head  in  the 
museum  of  Bologna. 


350 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


tion  into  two  rooms.  Various  other  buildings  existed 
within  the  sacred  inclosure.  Judging  from  architectural 
members  used  in  the  foundation  of  the  present  Propylaea, 
one  of  them  must  have  had  a circular  end  or  apse.  A con- 
siderable series  of  archaic  pedimental  sculptures  found  in 


Fig.  230.  — Archaic  group  from  pediment  of  a building  on  the  Acropolis 
(Acropolis  Museum,  Athens). 


the  excavations  are  to  be  assigned  to  early  buildings  on  the 
Acropolis,  but  the  majority  of  them  cannot  be  connected 
with  extant  foundations  (Fig.  230).  Northeast  of  the 
Propylaea,  behind  the  Pinacotheca,  are  remains  of  a huge 
mediaeval  or  Turkish  cistern ; another  is  found  north  of  the 
Erechtheum.  A series  of  wells  was  cut  in  the  rock  along 
the  north  side  of  the  Parthenon,  and  others  are  seen  in 
different  places.  During  mediaeval  and  early  modern  times 
the  Acropolis  came  to  be  thickly  covered  with  dwellings 
(Fig.  231,  cf.  Fig.  200),  all  of  which  have  been  removed. 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


35i 


The  bases  and  inscribed  stelae  which  have  been  found 
in  almost  countless  numbers  help  us  to  appreciate  how 
crowded  the  Acropolis  was  in  ancient  times  with  works  of 
art  and  historic  records.  These,  as  well  as  the  splendid 
buildings,  must  form  a part  of  the  picture  through  which 
our  imagination  will  attempt  to  restore  the  glory  of  the 
ancient  citadel.  We  appreciate  the  feelings  of  Strabo 
when  he  says  (p.  396) : “But  when  I come  upon  the  multi- 
tude of  things  in  the  city  which  are  extolled  in  song  and 
story  by  the  tongues  of  all  men,  I shrink  from  the  details, 
lest  my  description  go  beyond  the  bounds  which  I have 
set  for  myself.” 


Fig.  231.  — Acropolis  in  1687.  From  a drawing  made  for  Count  D’Ortieres. 


NORTHWEST  SLOPE  OF  THE  ACROPOLIS 

We  accompany  our  cicerone  from  the  citadel.  “As  we 
descend,  not  to  the  lower  city  but  just  below  the  Propylaea, 
we  come  to  a spring  of  water.”  This  spring,  the  Clepsydra 
(cf.  Fig.  233),  earlier  called  Empedo,  still  furnishes  a never- 
failing  supply  of  water,  clear  but  slightly  brackish  in  taste. 
During  the  Middle  Ages  the  spring-house  was  made  a 
shrine  of  the  Twelve  Apostles.  A long  flight  of  steps  lead- 


352  ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 

ing  down  from  the  Acropolis  through  an  opening  in  the 
wall  is  partly  ancient,  partly  mediaeval  and  modern.  In 
1822,  during  the  Greek  revolution,  the  spring  was  fortified 
and  connected  with  the  citadel  by  the  “ bastion”  of  Odys- 
seus Androutsos,  which  has  now  been  removed.  Numer- 
ous fictions  played  about  the  spring  in  antiquity ; of  these 


Fig.  232. — Northwest  slope  of  the  Acropolis,  with  caves  of  Pan  and  Apollo. 

The  Cave  of  Apollo  is  the  smaller  of  the  two  large  niches  just  to  the  right  of  the  center  of 
the  picture.  One  entrance  to  the  Cave  of  Pan  can  be  distinguished  at  the  base  of  the 
projection  of  rock  beneath  the  buttress  of  the  wall  of  the  Acropolis;  it  is  small  and  at 
the  same  level  as  the  Cave  of  Apollo. 

the  story  told  by  a scholiast  on  Aristophanes  ( Birds  1694) 
furnishes  a good  example.  “The  spring  got  its  name  be- 
cause it  is  filled  when  the  Etesian  winds  blow,  and  ceases 
when  they  stop,  like  the  Nile  and  the  fountain  in  Delos. 
A bloody  cup  which  fell  into  it  was  afterward  seen  in  the 
bay  of  Phalerum,  twenty  furlongs  away.  They  say  that 
the  spring  has  no  bottom,  and  that  the  water  is  salty.” 
“And  near  by  is  a sanctuary  of  Apollo  in  a cave.  They 
say  that  here  Apollo  met  Creusa  the  daughter  of  Erech- 
theus.  [Here  also  is  a sanctuary  of  Pan.  They  say]  that 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


353 


Philippides  was  sent  to  Lacedaemon  when  the  Medes 
landed,  and  on  his  return  he  said  that  the  Lacedaemonians 
had  postponed  their  departure,  for  it  was  their  custom  not 
to  set  out  for  battle  before  the  orb  of  the  moon  was  full. 

Philippides  further  said  that  Pan 
met  him  near  Mt.  Parthenion  and 
told  him  that  he  was  favorably 
inclined  toward  the  Athenians 
and  that  he  would  come  to  Mara- 
thon to  fight  with  them.  On 
account  of  this  message,  there- 
fore, the  god  has  been  held  in 
honor.” 

East  of  the  Clepsydra,  and  a 
little  higher  up,  is  an  almost  inac- 
cessible shelf,  which  must  be  the 
Long  Rocks  of  Euripides’s  Ion. 

Here  are  situated 
the  caves  of  Pan 
and  Apollo  (B  and  A, 
Fig.  233).  The  latter 
occupied  the  high 
and  deep  grotto 
toward  the  west  (Fig. 
232).  The  interior 
and  edges  of  this 
grotto  are  filled  with 
niches  for  votive 
tablets.  Many  of  the 

Fig.  233.  — Plan  of  northwest  slope  of  the  plaques  with  in- 
Acropolis.  . . ’ 

scnptions  celebrating 

The  Cave  of  Apollo  is  at  B ; the  Cave  of  Pan,  at  A.  The 

Clepsydra  is  in  the  projection  of  rock  on  the  lower  left-  1 * Apollo  beneath  the 

hand  corner  of  the  plan.  The  grotto  at  the  top  of  the  tt  * “Uf  >> 

plan  is  wrongly  identified  as  the  Aglaurium.  xleigntS,  Were  re- 


354 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


covered  in  the  excavation  of  the  slope.  Adjoining  the 
shrine  of  Apollo  on  the  west  is  a smaller  grotto 
(A  in  Fig.  233),  and  on  the  east  a high  and  shallow 
one  (r  in  Fig.  233) ; but  no  evidence  of  use  has  been 
found  in  either. 

The  sanctuary  of  Pan  is  the  low  cave,  running  back 
under  the  rock  for  some  distance,  to  the  east  of  the  cave 


Fig.  234.  — Entrance  to  the  cave  of  Pan. 


of  Apollo  (A  in  Fig.  233  and  Fig.  234).  Its  deep  recesses 
form  a fit  lurking-place  for  the  shy  Arcadian  god  (Fig. 
235),  as  they  are  said  to  have  done  for  the  amour  of 
Apollo  with  Creusa,  and  the  clandestine  meeting  of  Cine- 
sias  and  Myrrhina  in  the  Lysistrata  of  Aristophanes. 
The  story  of  the  introduction  of  the  worship  of  Pan 
into  Athens  (490  b.c.)  is  borrowed  by  Pausanias  from 
Herodotus,  who  makes  the  hero  (according  to  our  best 
manuscripts)  not  Philippides  but  Pheidippides.  The  story 
has  been  immortalized  in  English  poetry  in  Browning’s 
Pheidippides. 

Of  this  picturesque , and  romantic  spot  the  chorus  in 
Euripides’s  Ion  sings  (vv.  492  ff. ; Verrall’s  translation) : — 


THE  ACROPOLIS 


355 


aO  Athens,  what  thy  cliff 
has  seen  ! 

The  northward  scar,  Pan’s 
cavern  seat, 

With  rocks  before,  and 
grassy  floor, 

Where  dancing  tread  the 
Aglaurids’  feet 

Their  triple  measure  on 
the  green 

’Neath  Pallas’  fane, 

Whene’er  the  god  in  his 
retreat 

Times  on  the  reed  a qua- 
vering strain.” 

Before  the  cave  of 
Apollo  is  a depression  in 
the  rock,  perhaps  the  site 
of  the  altar  at  which  the 
archons  took  their  oath 
(ft  in  Fig.  233) ; and  back 
of  this  is  a rugged  pit, 
which  may  be  the  one 
said  to  have  been  made 
by  Poseidon’s  trident  for 
the  tomb  of  Erechtheus 
(7  in  Fig.  233).  Just  east 
of  the  cave  of  Pan  some 
mediaeval  men  built  a 
small  Christian  chapel ; 
near  this  begins  a rock- 
hewn  stairway  that  leads 
up  to  the  inner  staircase 


Fig.  235. — Statue  of  Pan,  from  Peiraeus 
(National  Museum,  Athens). 


356 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


in  the  wall  of  the  Acropolis  (N  in  Fig.  233).  Still  farther 
east  of  the  chapel  an  enormous  slice  of  the  rock  has  in  some 
prehistoric  period  slipped  off,  leaving  behind  it  a narrow 
fissure  through  which  one  can  worm  his  way  to  another 
grotto  (2  in  Fig.  233),  which  has  often  been  called  the 
Aglaurium  (pp.  156 f.).  From  this  in  the  Middle  Ages 
was  built  a secret  staircase,  of  which  a few  of  the  bottom 
and  top  steps  remain. 


CHAPTER  IX 


The  Courts  and  the  Suburbs 

THE  AREOPAGUS  AND  OTHER  COURTS 

When  the  Persians  had  occupied  the  city  just  before 
the  battle  of  Salamis,  they  “encamped  over  against  the 
Acropolis  on  the  hill  which  the  Athenians  call  the  Areopa- 
gus.” These  words  of  Herodotus  (8,  52)  even  if  uncon- 
firmed from  other  sources,  would  warrant  us  in  identifying 
the  Areopagus  as  the  rugged,  triangular  eminence  a hundred 
yards  west  of  the  Acropolis,  to  which  it  is  linked  by  a ridge 
some  thirty-five  feet  lower  than  itself  (Fig.  236).  The 
hill  is  upwards  of  1000  feet  long  and  425  feet  broad  in  its 
widest  part;  it  rises  377  feet  above  the  sea.  At  the  east 
end  and  along  the  greater  part  of  the  north  side  it  is  pre- 
cipitous and  inaccessible,  but  its  west  end  broadens  out 
and  descends  in  a gradual  slope.  Near  the  southeast 
corner  has  been  hewn  a flight  of  fifteen  or  sixteen  steps, 
now  much  broken  (Fig.  237),  which  afford  the  only  means 
of  ascent  from  this  quarter. 

The  origin  of  the  name  Areopagus  is  explained  by  the 
majority  of  ancient  writers  in  a supposed  connection  of  the 
hill  with  the  god  Ares.  Aeschylus  in  the  Eumenides  says 
(v.  689  f.)  that  when  the  Amazons  pitched  their  tents  here, 
“they  sacrificed  to  Ares,  whence  is  the  name  rock  and 
Hill  of  Ares,”  or  Mars’  Hill,  as  the  King  James  version  of 
Acts  has  it  (17,  22  ; cf.  19).  Pausanias  follows  the  more  com- 
mon tradition  : “The  Areopagus  is  so  named  because  Ares 

357 


Fig.  236.  — Areopagus,  from  the  north. 

In  the  background,  at  the  right,  is  the  Hill  of  the  Muses. 


THE  COURTS  AND  THE  SUBURBS 


359 


was  the  first  one  judged  here ; and  this  story  has  also  made 
it  clear  to  me  that  he  killed  Halirrhothius,  and  for  what 
reason  he  killed  him.  They  say  that  Orestes  also  was 
judged  here  later  for  the  murder  of  his  mother ; and  there 


Fig.  237.  — East  end  of  the  Areopagus,  from  the  southeast. 


is  an  altar  of  Athena  Areia,  which  he  set  up  when  he  was 
acquitted/’  Many  scholars,  however,  consider  the  deriva- 
tion of  the  name  from  Ares  as  aetiological,  maintaining 
that  the  name  really  means  the  Hill  of  Curses  (ara, 
“ curse”) ; the  hill  was  the  seat  of  a criminal  court  for  cases 
of  homicide,  and  had  an  association  with  the  Furies,  who 
are  also  known  as  the  Arae. 

Numerous  writers  agree  with  Pausanias  in  his  assertion 
that  ‘‘The  white  stones  on  which  stand  respectively  the 
defendants  and  the  prosecutors  are  called  the  stone  of  In- 
solence and  the  stone  of  Ruthlessness.”  Orestes  is  made  to 
say  in  Euripides’s  Iphigenia  among  the  Taurians  (vv.  961  ff.) : 

“But  when  I came  to  Ares’  Hill  and  rose  for  trial, 

Myself  upon  one  stand,  while  over  opposite 

The  eldest  of  the  Furies  took  the  other  place,”  . . . 

But  neither  the  white  stones  nor  their  site  can  now  be  found, 
though  the  surface  of  the  rock  is  covered  with  cuttings, 


36° 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


which  give  evidence  that  the  hill  was  much  used.  Espe- 
cially towards  the  west  were  numerous  buildings,  but  of 
what  period  we  do  not  know.  We  hear  of  a very  ancient 
mud  hut  situated  on  the  Areopagus  and  also  of  police  bar- 
racks. The  Amazonium  was  on  the  hill,  or  at  all  events 
not  far  away. 

On  the  Areopagus  the  dignified  court  of  the  same  name 
held  its  sittings,  which  were  at  night  and  under  the  open 
sky.  Here  too  — though  some  scholars  have  maintained, 
without  sufficient  cause,  that  the  event  took  place  in  the 
Royal  Stoa  (pp.  89  ff.).- — Saint  Paul  delivered  his  message  to 
the  Athenians.  His  words,  “dwelleth  not  in  temples  made 
with  hands,”  lose  half  their  force  if  we  fail  to  associate 
with  them  the  stately  and  beautiful  temples  within  range 

of  his  vision  as  he  stood 
on  Mars’  Hill.  The  spot 
fixed  by  tradition  for  his 
address  is  the  little  pla- 
teau on  the  north  side  of 
the  hill  (Fig.  238).  Not 
far  away  are  the  ruins 
of  a little  church  named 
after  Dionysius  the  Are- 
opagite,  Paul’s  first  and 
most  distinguished 
Athenian  convert. 

“Near  the  Areopagus 
is  a sanctuary  of  the  god- 
desses whom  the  Atheni- 
ans call  the  Semnae,  and 

Fig.  238.  — Site  sometimes  given  as  that  whom  Hesiod  in  his  The- 
of  the  sermon  of  St.  Paul.  ogony  calls  the  Erinyes. 

Probably  this  sh™<=-  with  a Aeschylus  was  the  first  to 


THE  COURTS  AND  THE  SUBURBS  361 

portray  them  with  serpents  in  their  hair ; but  neither  these 
statues  nor  the  other  infernal  divinities  set  up  here  have 
any  such  frightful  aspect  — I refer  to  the  statues  of  Pluto, 
Hermes,  and  Earth.  Sacrifices  are  offered  here  by  per- 
sons who  have  been  acquitted  on  the  Areopagus  of  some 
charge,  and  by  others,  both  citizens  and  strangers.” 

The  Furies,  or  Erinyes,  were  also  known  euphemistically 
as  Eumenides,  the  Kindly,  and  as  Semnae,  the  Venerable. 
Their  sanctuary  was  an  inclosure  surrounding  and  including 
the  natural  cleft  at  the  northeast  corner  of  the  Areopagus 
(Figs.  239  and  46).  This  is  the  spot  where  the  disap- 


Fig.  239.  — Areopagus,  from  the  entrance  to  the  Acropolis;  at  the  right  the 
chasm  of  the  Furies. 


pointed  Furies  vanished  from  sight  after  the  acquittal 
of  Orestes.  The  chasm  has  been  much  altered  by  time, 
and  no  longer  contains  the  pool  of  water  which  was  there 
in  the  last  century ; but  it  is  a place  easily  associated  with 
these  gloomy  divinities.  The  sanctuary  was  very  ancient, 
and  its  origin  was  early  forgotten.  The  statues  which 
Pausanias  mentions  are  known  from  other  sources  to  have 


362 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


been  three  in  number.  The  middle  statue  was  the  work  of 
Calamis ; those  on  either  side  were  by  Scopas. 

Pausanias  continues:  “Within  the  inclosure  is  also  a 
monument  of  Oedipus.  After  some  pains  I found  out  that 
his  bones  were  brought  from  Thebes  — for  Homer  does 
not  let  me  accept  the  story  told  by  Sophocles  respecting 
Oedipus’s  death,  since  Homer  says  that,  upon  the  death 
of  Oedipus,  Mecisteus  came  to  Thebes  and  took  part  in 
the  funeral  games.”  Valerius  Maximus  informs  us  that 
the  tomb  of  Oedipus  was  between  the  Areopagus  and  the 
Acropolis ; hence  we  may  judge  that  the  inclosure  was  one 
of  considerable  extent.  Sophocles  in  his  Oedipus  at  Colonus 
depicts  the  death  of  the  aged  Theban  at  Colonus  Hippius, 
northwest  of  the  city  (p.  382).  As  we  see,  however,  from 
the  words  of  Pausanias,  the  question  as  to  whether  he  died 
in  Boeotia  or  Attica  was  disputed  in  ancient  times.  The 
monument  by  the  Areopagus  was  one  much  venerated, 
and  an  altar  stood  beside  it. 

The  worship  of  the  Furies  was  conducted  by  the  de- 
scendants of  Hesychus,  the  Silent,  whose  own  shrine  was 
“beside  the  Cylonium,  outside  the  Enneapylum,”  on  the 
saddle  between  the  two  hills  (p.  343).  Some  of  the  conspira- 
tors with  Cylon  were  cut  down  at  the  altars  of  the  Furies. 
This  may  well  be  the  reason  for  the  establishment  of  Cy- 
lon’s  heroum  at  this  point. 

After  a digression  upon  the  Athenian  courts,  to  which  we 
shall  return,  Pausanias  adds:  “Near  the  Areopagus  is 
shown  a ship  made  for  the  procession  of  the  Panathenaea.” 
This  ship  was  a leading  feature  of  the  procession  and  of  the 
festival.  Its  sail  was  the  embroidered  peplos  of  Athena, 
and  with  its  crew  of  priests  and  priestesses  it  was  moved 
along  on  rollers  in  the  festal  parade.  The  ship  is  repre- 
sented on  a relief  set  in  the  wall  of  the  Little  Metropolis 


THE  COURTS  AND  THE  SUBURBS 


363 


r 


Fig.  240.  — Panathenaic  ship; 
relief  on  the  “ Little  Me- 
tropolis ” church. 

The  form  of  the  ship  is  largely  obliter- 
ated by  a Christian  cross. 


church  (Panagia  Gorgoepikoos ; Fig.  240),  but  only  a bit 
of  the  design  is  left  at  the  sides  of  a cross  which  has  been 
cut  over  it.  The  course  of  the  ship  from  the  Dipylum  Gate 
to  the  Pelargicum  has  already 
been  traced  (p.  115).  From  that 
point  Philostratus  tells  us  (Vit. 
soph.  2 , 1,  5),  “being  carried  on 
past  the  Pythium,  it  came  where 
it  is  now  moored;”  or  as  often 
translated,  “being  carried  on,  it 
arrived  beside  the  Pythium,  where 
it  is  now  moored.” 

The  only  Pythium  attested  by 
existing  evidence  is  the  one  southwest  of  the  Olympieum 
(p.  168).  Had  the  ship  been  moored  there,  Pausanias 
could  not  have  seen  it  “near  the  Areopagus.”  Thus 
arises  a contradiction  which  cannot  be  satisfactorily  ex- 
plained. An  anchorage  by  the  Areopagus  may  seem 
more  natural ; we  have  no  knowledge,  however,  of  a 
Pythium  there.  The  suggestion  has  been  made  that  the 
cave  on  the  northwest  slope  of  the  Acropolis  (p.  353)  is 
meant;  but  all  the  evidence  goes  to  show  that  this  was 
dedicated  to  “Apollo  beneath  the  Heights,”  and  not  to 
Pythian  Apollo,  unless  the  contrary  is  indicated  in  a dubi- 
ous passage  of  Euripides’s  Ion  (v.  285),  which  says : “The 
Pythian  honors  them  and  the  Pythian  lightnings.”  But 
the  position  of  the  cave  suits  neither  translation  of  Philo- 
stratus. The  cave  is  high  and  inaccessible,  and  the  ship 
could  hardly  have  been  drawn  over  the  cliff  “past”  the 
cave,  nor  could  a suitable  mooring  have  been  found  “be- 
side” the  cave  (cf.  Fig.  232).  Furthermore,  the  cave  on 
the  slope  of  the  Acropolis  would  scarcely  be  described  as 
“near  the  Areopagus.”  Had  the  ship  been  beside  the 


364 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


cave  or  below  it,  Pausanias  must  have  spoken  of  it  in  con- 
nection with  the  cave,  or  with  the  Anaceum,  or  with  some 
other  building  in  the  vicinity.  The  conclusion  seems  cer- 
tain that  either  an  unknown  Pythium  stood  near  the 
Areopagus,  or  else  the  Pythium  by  the  Olympieum  is 
meant.  In  the  latter  case  either  Pausanias  or  Philostratus 
must  have  been  wrong,  or  the  ship  was  not  always  moored 
in  the  same  place,  or  there  must  be  an  error  in  the  manu- 
scripts. In  leaving  the  subject,  it  should  be  observed  that 
those  who  believe  that  the  Pythium  was  the  cave  also  create 
an  otherwise  unknown  Olympieum  near  the  Pythium. 
They  then  warp  Thucydides’s  remark  that  the  sanctuaries 
of  the  pre-Thesean  city  were  situated  southward  of  the 
Acropolis  to  include  these  sites  northwest  of  the  Acropolis, 
and  locate  here  the  priests  said  by  Strabo  to  have  watched 
for  the  lightnings  on  Parnes  from  a wall  between  the  Py- 
thium and  the  Olympieum  (pp.  13  and  61). 

In  the  digression  already  mentioned  (p.  362)  Pausanias 
introduces  the  most  complete  list  that  we  have  of  the  Athe- 
nian courts  with  the  words:  “But  the  Athenians  have 
also  other  courts  that  are  not  so  famous,”  as  the  Court  of 
the  Areopagus.  But  of  these  minor  courts  we  know  so 
little  that  they  may  be  dismissed  briefly. 

On  the  Areopagus  were  tried  cases  of  murder  “with 
malice  aforethought.”  The  Parabystum,  where  the  Eleven 
at  one  time  presided,  appears  to  have  been  a roofed  build- 
ing in  the  Agora.  The  Trigonum  is  known  only  by  name. 
The  Batrachium  and  the  Phoenicium  were  so  called  from 
the  colors,  frog-green  and  red,  painted  on  the  lintels  above 
their  entrances. 

The  Heliaea,  the  “largest  court  of  Athens,  in  which  public 
affairs  were  tried  before  1000  or  1500  dicasts,”  was  probably 
in  the  southeast  corner  of  the  Agora  near  the  market  of 


THE  COURTS  AND  THE  SUBURBS 


365 

the  Cercopes  (p.  149).  The  Palladium,  for  cases  of  invol- 
untary homicide  and  plot  to  kill  and  cases  of  the  murder 
of  a slave,  a resident-alien,  or  a foreigner,  was  probably 
south  of  the  Ilissus.  It  is  said  to  have  been  founded  when 
the  Athenians  had  unwittingly  slain  the  Argives  who  were 
bringing  the  Palladium  from  Troy.  The  Delphinium,  for 
cases  of  justifiable  homicide,  was  at  the  sanctuary  of  Del- 
phinian  Apollo  near  the  Olympieum  (p.  168).  The  court  of 
the  Prytaneum,  for  the  trial  of  animals  or  inanimate  objects 
by  which  a human  being  had  been  killed,  was  on  the  north 
slope  of  the  Acropolis  (p.  158). 

The  Phreattys  was  “ beside  the  sea/’  perhaps  near  the 
entrance  to  Zea  Harbor  at  Peiraeus  (p.  401).  Here  were 
tried  persons  who,  having  been  banished  by  the  court  of 
Palladium  for  involuntary  manslaughter,  were  charged 
with  murder  or  assault.  The  accused  in  such  a case  was 
compelled  to  plead  his  cause  from  a boat  near  the  shore, 
and  was  not  allowed  to  land  or  to  cast  anchor.  Besides 
these  the  names  survive  of  other  courts,  as  the  Metocheum, 
the  Greater,  and  the  Middle,  whose  situation  and  functions 
are  alike  unknown.  The  court  in  which  Socrates  was  tried 
was  “near  the  prison,”  and  therefore  at  the  north  end  of 
the  Agora  (p.  129). 

THE  ACADEMY 

Pausanias  begins  his  itinerary  of  Athens  at  the  Dipylum 
on  the  northwest  side  of  the  city,  and  to  this  locality  he 
brings  us  back  at  the  end. 

Of  places  beyond  the  walls  he  says  : “ The  Athenians  have 
also  outside  of  the  city,  in  the  demes  and  along  the  roads, 
sanctuaries  of  gods  and  graves  of  heroes  and  men.  Nearest 
is  the  Academy,  once  the  estate  of  a private  citizen,  but  in 
my  time  a gymnasium.  As  you  go  down  to  it  you  see  an 


366 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


inclosure  of  Artemis  and  rude  statues  of  Ariste  and  Calliste. 
As  I believe,  in  agreement  with  the  poems  of  Sappho  [or 
Pamphos],  these  are  by-names  of  Artemis.  I am  aware 
that  another  story  is  told,  but  shall  pass  it  by.  There  is 
also  a temple  of  no  great  size  to  which  they  bring  every 
year  on  appointed  days  the  statue  of  Eleutherian  Dionysus. 
Such  are  the  sanctuaries  here.” 

A recent  conjecture  has  located  the  sanctuary  of  Artemis 
Calliste  a short  distance  to  the  west  of  the  Dipylum,  and 
near  the  remains  of  a bridge  which  once  crossed  the  Eri- 
danus  below  the  chapel  of  Hagia  Triada  (Fig.  243).  The 
small  temple  of  Dionysus  has  not  yet  been  found,  nor 
the  heroum  of  Toxaris,  the  heroum  of  Demetrius  Polior- 
cetes,  the  sanctuary  of  Artemis  Savior,  and  other  sites 
known  to  have  been  near  by.  The  continuation  of  ex- 
cavations which  have  been  begun  in  the  region,  however, 
will  doubtless  add  much  to  our  knowledge. 

The  road  from  the  Dipylum  to  the  Academy,  according 
to  Cicero,  was  six  furlongs,  about  three-quarters  of  a mile 
in  length;  according  to  Livy,  about  a mile.  Cicero  tells 
us  (De  jin.  5,  1,  1)  of  an  afternoon  walk,  beguiled  “with 
various  discourse,”  which  he  and  some  friends  took  along 
this  road,  to  find  in  the  Academy  the  solitude  which  they 
sought.  A recent  discovery  of  what  is  thought  to  be  the 
entrance  to  the  Academy  is  in  harmony  with  the  orator’s 
estimate  of  the  distance. 

After  speaking  of  the  tombs  along  the  way  Pausanias  * 
says  : “In  front  of  the  entrance  to  the  Academy  is  an  altar 
of  Love  with  an  inscription  to  the  effect  that  Charmus  was 
the  first  Athenian  to  make  a dedication  to  Love  (Eros).  . . . 

In  the  Academy  is  an  altar  of  Prometheus,  from  which 
they  have  races  to  the  city  with  blazing  torches.  The  aim 
of  the  contestants  is  to  keep  their  torches  alight  while  they 


THE  COURTS  AND  THE  SUBURBS  367 

run.  The  foremost  runner,  if  his  torch  is  extinguished, 
does  not  win,  but  the  second  instead ; if  his  is  not  burning, 
the  third ; if  the  flames  of  all  are  quenched,  no  one  wins. 
And  there  is  an  altar  of  the  Muses  and  one  of  Hermes  and, 
on  the  inside,  one  of  Athena ; still  another  belongs  to 
Heracles.  There  is  also  an  olive  plant,  which  is  said  to 
have  been  the  second  one  to  appear.” 

The  original  ownership  and  foundation  of  the  Academy  is 
ascribed  to  Academus,  or  Hecademus,  to  whom  a shrine 
was  dedicated  within  its  boundaries,  but  the  first  inclosing 
wall  is  said  to  have  been  built  by  the  tyrant  Hipparchus. 
According  to  Plutarch  ( Cimon  13)  Cimon  transformed  the 
Academy  “from  a dry  and  arid  spot  into  a well-watered 
grove  with  neat  roads  and  shady  walks.”  Such  it  was,  a 
pleasant  park,  when  the  youth  of  Athens  in  Aristophanes’s 
time  are  urged  by  Just  Reason  in  the  Clouds  (vv.  1005  ff). 

“ The  Academy  then  shall  be  your  resort,  ’neath  the  olive 
trees  hoar  blithely  racing 

With  a comrade  virtuous  crowned  like  yourself  with  a 
chaplet  of  rushes; 

In  the  fragrance  of  ivy  and  freedom  from  care  and  leaf- 
shedding  poplar  you’ll  tarry, 

Rejoicing  and  glad  in  the  season  of  spring,  while  the  plane 
to  the  elm  softly  whispers.” 

But  our  most  cherished  association  with  the  Academy  is 
of  Plato,  who  taught  there,  and  of  the  school  of  philosophy 
which  he  founded.  His  successors,  Speusippus,  Xeno- 
crates,  and  Polemo,  kept  up  the  tradition  and  not  only 
taught  but  dwelt  in  the  Academy.  The  sanctity  of  the 
Academic  grove  was  respected  until  the  time  of  Sulla,  when 
the  trees  were  cut  down  to  make  siege-engines  (pp.  42  f.). 
The  park  must  have  been  replanted,  but  Pausanias  mentions 
only  a single  olive  tree,  perhaps  the  sole  survivor  of  the 


Fig.  241.  — Site  of  the  Academy,  from  Colonus  Hippius,  looking  west. 


THE  COURTS  AND  THE  SUBURBS 


r- 


369 


sacred  twelve,  which  were  said  to  have  been  scions  of  the 
olive  of  Athena  on  the  Acropolis. 

The  Academy  contained  other  altars  besides  those  named 
in  Pausanias’s  list.  The  altar  of  Prometheus  was  sacred 
also  to  Hephaestus,  and  on  it  a relief  representing  both 
divinities  was  carved.  It  must  have  stood  near  the  altar 
of  Love,  for  from  the  altar  of  Prometheus  rather  than  that 
of  Hephaestus  the  torch-race  is  said  by  some  to  have  started. 
The  altars  of  Hermes  and  Heracles  were  probably  close  to 
the  gymnasium.  Plato  himself  is  said  to  have  dedicated 
the  altar  of  the  Muses,  a reminder  of  his  early  incursions 
into  the  realm  of  poetry.  But  Athena  was  the  chief  divin- 
ity of  the  Academy,  and  near  the  altar  was  one  of  Zeus 
Morieus  (from  moria,  the  sacred  olive). 

If  a recent  conjecture,  supported  by  reasonable  evidence, 
that  the  sanctuaries  of  Heracles  and  Academus  lay  immedi- 
ately to  the  west  of  Colonus  Hippius  is  correct,  the  Academy 
must  have  extended  over  a considerable  area  in  the  plain 
beside  the  Cephissus  River,  where  still  are  multitudes  of 
olive  trees  and  poplars,  planes  and  cypresses  (Fig.  241). 

“Not  far  from  the  Academy”  Pausanias  saw  “a  monu- 
ment of  Plato.  ...  In  the  vicinity  of  this  place  is  seen 
a tower  of  Timon,  who  alone  saw  that  the  only  way  to  be 
happy  is  to  shun  the  rest  of  mankind.”  We  are  told  by 
Diogenes  Laertius  (3,  41)  that  Plato  was  buried  “in  the 
Academy,  where  he  spent  the  most  of  his  life.”  Possibly 
his  sepulcher  was  in  the  gardens  which  he  possessed  beside 
the  Academy ; these  were  often  identified  with  the  Academy 
itself.  On  the  philosopher’s  tomb  was  engraved  ( Biog . 
Graec.  388) : “Apollo  created  the  two,  Asclepius  and 

Plato ; Asclepius  to  save  the  body,  Plato  to  save  the  soul.” 
Lucian  has  told  us  the  story  of  Timon,  the  misanthrope, 
and  the  tale  was  wrought  into  an  immortal  drama  by 


2 B 


37o 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


Shakespeare.  Notwithstanding  his  hatred  of  mankind 
Timon  is  said  to  have  been  a friend  of  Plato. 

THE  CEMETERIES 

The  road  from  the  Dipylum  to  the  Academy  seems  to 
have  been  a wide  avenue.  Through  its  middle  may  have 
run  the  Polyandrion,  in  which  were  set  up  the  sepulchral 
stelae  of  those  who  had  died  in  battle  for  the  city.  At 
either  end  was  probably  a broad  plaza.  The  plaza  near 
the  Dipylum  must  have  been  the  gathering  place  for  those 
who  were  to  take  part  in  the  Panathenaic  procession.  In 
the  other  plaza  was  the  tomb  of  Harmodius  and  Aristo- 
geiton,  the  Tyrannicides ; here,  we  may  suppose,  Pericles 
delivered  his  famous  funeral  oration  over  the  men  who  died 
in  the  first  year  of  the  Peloponnesian  War.  A long  list  of 
renowned  dead  is  given  by  Pausanias,  but  as  none  of  the 
burial  places  have  been  found,  it  may  be  omitted.  From 
this  list  and  other  sources  the  relative  positions  of  some 
tombs  can  be  conjectured.  Here  were  the  graves  of  Thrasy- 
bulus,  who  freed  Athens  from  the  rule  of  the  hated  Thirty. 
Near  by  were  the  tombs  of  Pericles,  Chabrias,  and  Phormio. 
“ There  are  also  monuments  to  all  the  Athenians  who  fell 
in  battle  on  land  or  sea,  except  to  those  who  fought  at 
Marathon ; because  of  their  valor  their  graves  were  made 
on  the  spot.”  A few  of  the  inscriptions  which  commemo- 
rate these  national  heroes  are  left,  but  only  one  of  them  can 
be  mentioned  here  (Fig.  242).  This  is  the  tombstone  of 
the  men  who  fell  in  Chersonese,  in  Byzantium,  and  “in  the 
other  wars,”  perhaps  of  the  campaign  of  Alcibiades  in 
409  b.c.  The  marble  stele  is  about  five  feet  high  and 
twenty  inches  wide.  On  it  the  names  are  given  by  tribes, 
and  the  inscription  closes  with  a eulogy  in  elegiac  verse. 
At  least  one  tomb  bore  the  names  of  slaves  who  had 


r 


THE  COURTS  AND  THE  SUBURBS  371 


been  brave  in  battle. 
On  the  stone  which 
commemorated  the 
men  who  died  in  the 
ill-fated  Sicilian  Ex- 
pedition, Pausanias 
says,  in  avowed  agree- 
ment with  the  histo- 
rian Philistus,  the 
name  of  Nicias  was 
omitted,  on  the 
ground  that  he  was  a 
‘ ‘ voluntary  captive 
and  a man  unfit  for 
war.”  Besides  the 
graves  that  have  been 
mentioned,  among  the 
others,  was  that  of 
Cleisthenes,  the  re- 
former ; farther  along 
were  the  tombs  of 
Tolmides  and  Cimon, 
of  Conon  and  Timo- 
theus,  of  Zeno  and 
Chrysippus,  of  Nicias 
the  painter,  of  Ephial- 
tes,  and  of  Lycurgus. 

Future  excavations 
may  bring  to  light 
the  graves  of  some  of 
these  distinguished 
men;  but  much  bet- 
ter known  at  present 


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Fig.  242.- — -Inscription  on  a grave  stele. 


372  ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 

is  the  cemetery  of  humbler  folk  southwest  of  the  Dipy- 
lum, which  is  often  called  the  Dipylum  Cemetery  (Fig. 
243).  The  visitor  of  to-day  usually  approaches  it  from 
the  Peiraeus  road  on  the  west,  but  the  situation  can  be 
understood  better  from  its  relation  to  the  Sacred  Gate. 
As  one  stands  in  the  opening  of  the  gate  (Fig.  29),  with  the 
walls  of  the  city  on  either  side,  at  his  right  he  sees  the  bed 
of  the  Eridanus  River,  and  on  its  nearer  bank  the  Sacred 
Way  to  Eleusis,  which  crosses  the  river  by  a bridge  close 


Fig.  243.  — Plan  of  the  Cemetery  on  the  Eridanus  — the  Dipylum 
Cemetery. 


to  the  church  of  Hagia  Triada.  To  the  left  a branching 
road  runs  westward  through  the  cemetery.  The  excava- 
tions, which  are  still  in  progress,  have  already  thrown  a 
flood  of  light  upon  the  entire  region,  which  is  worthy  of  a 
fuller  description  than  present  space  permits. 

The  first  monuments  that  one  sees  after  leaving  the 
Sacred  Gate  are  two  shafts  of  marble  some  eighty  yards  to 
the  west  (1,  2 in  Fig.  243).  One  of  these  marks  the  tomb 


Fig.  244.  — Part  of  the  Cemetery  on  the  Eiidanus. 

The  photograph  was  made  after  the  recent  excavations.  The  plots  along  the  road  belong,  respectively,  to  Lysanias  of  Thoricus,  Agathon  and  Sosicrates  of 
Heracleia,  and  Dionysius  of  Collytus.  The  area  fronted  by  a wall  of  small  stones,  at  the  left  of  the  middle,  belongs  to  the  plot  of  Lysanias. 


374 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


of  Pythagoras,  consul  from  Selymbria  in  the  Propontis 
about  the  middle  of  the  fifth  century  b.c.  ; the  other  is  the 
monument  of  Thersander  and  Simylus,  ambassadors  from 
the  island  of  Corcyra  about  375  b.c.  On  each  stele  is 
carved  an  epigram  in  memory  of  the  honored  dead.  The 
monument  of  Pythagoras  is  perhaps  the  oldest  formal 
sepulcher  in  the  place. 

The  main  portion  of  the  cemetery,  however,  lies  farther 
to  the  west  (Fig.  244).  Here  graves  are  found  on  both  sides 
of  the  road,  but  the  majority  are  on  the  south  side.  Careful 
study  of  the  monuments,  and  of  the  stratified  deposits  laid 
bare  by  the  spade,  has  shown  that  the  principal  tombs  were 
constructed  between  the  beginning  of  the  fourth  century 
and  the  year  317/6  b.c.  At  this  later  date  luxury  and  ex- 
pense had  become  so  obtrusive  in  the  ceremonies  of  funerals 
and  burial  that  Demetrius  of  Phalerum  was  impelled 
to  issue  an  order  of  repression.  The  order  was  apparently 
obeyed,  for  the  tombs  after  this  time  are  much  more  modest, 
though  inhumation  in  the  district  continued  well  down  into 
Roman  times,  with  constantly  declining  taste  in  the  designs 
of  the  sepulchral  monuments. 

The  m'ajority  of  the  burials  of  the  fourth  century  b.c. 
are  in  family  plots,  each  separately  walled  and  adorned  with 
stelae  and  sculpture.  The  earliest  and  at  the  same  time 
most  noteworthy  of  these  is  that  of  the  family  of  Lysanias 
of  Thoricus  (1  in  Fig.  243  and  Fig.  245).  In  this  group  our 
interest  centers  in  the  splendid  relief  of  the  young  warrior 
Dexileos,  who  is  represented  as  a triumphant  horseman 
riding  down  his  foe.  The  bronze  spear  poised  by  the  vic- 
tor has  been  lost,  but  the  holes  by  means  of  which  it  was 
fastened  are  visible  in  the  hero’s  side.  Beneath  the  relief  is 
an  inscription  which  tells  us  about  all  we  know  of  the  young 
man  and  his  fate.  It  reads  : “Dexileos  of  Thoricus,  son  of 


THE  COURTS  AND  THE  SUBURBS 


375 


Fig.  245. — Monument  of  the  knight  Dexileos,  son  of  Lysanias  of  Thoricus. 

The  inscription  on  the  base  reads:  Ae£t'Aea>?  AvaavLov  ®opwaos’  eyevero  enl  Teurdi'Spov 
ap\0VT0s , aneQave  in’  Ev/3ovAiSov  ev  KopiV0a>,  riv  irevre  Inneiay. 


376 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


Lysanias.  Born  in  the  archonship  of  Teisander  [414/3 
b.c.]  ; died  in  the  archonship  of  Eubulides  [394/3  B.c.] 
in  Corinth,  of  the  five  knights.”  The  battle  of  Corinth  is 
known  to  us,  but  not  the  deed  of  valor  of  the  illustrious  five. 
Dexileos  was  doubtless  buried,  with  the  other  warriors  who 
died  at  Corinth,  in  the  Polyandrion  (p.  370),  and  this  is  a 
cenotaph.  In  the  same  plot  were  interred  several  other 
members  of  Lysanias’s  family,  but  their  monuments  are 
less  conspicuous.  The  parapet  on  which  the  relief  stands 
once  terminated  with  figures  of  Sirens,  and  the  whole 
grave  precinct  with  its  massive  wall  presented  an  imposing 
aspect. 

Of  the  other  tombs  on  this  side  of  the  road  the  most  note- 
worthy are  those  of  Agathon  and  Sosicrates  of  Heracleia 
(11  in  Fig.  243),  with  the  superb  relief  of  Corallion,  and  that 
of  Dionysius  of  Colly tus  (111  in  Fig.  243),  with  its  high- 
mounted  statue  of  a bull.  Behind  the  stelae  in  the  second 
precinct  excavations  have  revealed  the  sarcophagi  of  sev- 
eral persons  who  were  buried  there,  with  the  bones  undis- 
turbed. On  the  opposite  side  of  the  road  the  most  famous 
relief  is  that  of  Hegeso  daughter  of  Proxenus,  perhaps  the 
choicest  of  all  these  works  (Fig.  246).  Beside  the  cross- 
road toward  the  east  (xn  in  Fig.  243)  is  the  beautiful  relief 
of  Demetria  and  Pamphila.  Here  too  the  bones  have  been 
exhumed. 

One  of  the  most  important  results  of  the  recent  investi- 
gations was  the  finding  of  the  original  level  of  the  ground, 
with  the  discovery  that  the  reliefs  were  intended  to  be  seen 
from  below.  As  thus  examined  they  constantly  reveal  new 
refinements  of  form  and  modeling.  The  men  and  women 
who  were  buried  here  were  not  known  to  fame,  and,  so 
far  as  we  are  aware,  none  of  the  monuments  were  made  by 
distinguished  artists.  That  mere  stonecutters  could  pro- 


THE  COURTS  AND  THE  SUBURBS 


377 


duce  works  of  so  consummate  beauty  and  dignified  restraint 
is  among  the  marvels  of  ancient  art.  The  same  comment  is 
of  course  valid  in  respect  to  the  scores  of  similar  reliefs  that 
fill  several  rooms  in  the  National  Museum  of  Athens. 


Fig.  246.  — Gravestones  of  the  family  of  Coroebus  of  Melite. 

The  relief  of  Hegeso,  daughter  of  Proxenus  and  probably  the  wife  of  Coroebus,  is  among  the 
choicest  examples  of  Greek  sculpture. 


Almost  any  one  of  them  may  be  deemed  worthy  to  rank 
as  a masterpiece  (Fig.  247). 

In  the  rear  of  the  cemetery  on  the  Eridanus  are  the  re- 
mains of  a rude  wall  which  encompassed  the  inclosure  of 
a sanctuary  of  Artemis  Hecate  (Fig.  243).  Hecate  was 
associated  with  things  of  the  lower  world,  and  this  fact 
doubtless  accounts  for  the  presence  of  her  worship  here. 


378 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


The  base  for  her  statue,  an  altar,  and  other  tokens,  still 
exist  in  the  precinct  of  the  Hecateum. 

The  cemeteries  outside  of  the  other  gates  of  the  city  are 
less  interesting,  though  from  some  of  them  have  come  su- 
perb reliefs.  An  exten- 
sive burial  ground  of 
early  date  lies  beyond  a 
gate  northeast  of  the 
Dipylum.  Other  graves 
are  found  outside  of  the 
Acharnian  Gate  at  the 
north.  On  the  east  side 
of  the  city  a considerable 
cemetery  was  situated 
along  the  road  leading 
from  the  Diochares  Gate 
to  the  Lyceum,  in  the  vi- 
cinity of  the  present  Con- 
stitution Square.  On  ac- 
count of  the  prohibition, 
during  the  classical  pe- 
riod (p.  62),  of  burials 

Fig.  247.  T Gravestone  of  Hagnostrate  within  the  walls,  some 
(National  Museum,  Athens).  . 

scores  of  graves  lying  in 
the  deme  of  Coele  (p.  26)  must  be  thought  to  be  either 
of  very  early  or  very  late  date,  presumably  the  latter. 
Of  single  tombs  in  this  general  region  may  be  mentioned  a 
large  rock-cut  sarcophagus  between  the  Museum  Hill  and 
the  Pynx,  and  a larger  sepulcher  of  two  rooms,  known  as 
the  tomb  of  Cimon  (p.  65),  hewn  in  the  rock  at  the  end  of 
the  west  spur  of  Museum  Hill. 


THE  COURTS  AND  THE  SUBURBS 


379 


COLONUS  HIPPIUS 

Adjoining  the  Academy,  and  about  a mile  and  a quarter 
northwest  of  the  Dipylum,  — ten  furlongs,  according  to 
Thucydides,  — is  a long  hill  of  naked  rock  about  fifty  feet 
high,  the  ancient  Colonus  Hippius,  or  Horse  Knoll  (Fig. 
248).  On  its  summit  is  now  an  iron  fence  which  incloses 
the  marble  tombstones  of  two  accomplished  archaeologists, 


Fig.  248.  — Colonus  Hippius,  from  the  east. 


Karl  Ottfried  Muller,  who  died  in  1840,  and  Charles  Le- 
normant,  who  died  in  1859.  On  the  hill  is  a single  tree; 
around  its  base  are  scattered  groves,  and  a few  buildings. 
In  his  last  words  before  he  leaves  the  city,  to  visit  the  demes 
of  Attica,  Pausanias  says  : “A  spot  called  Colonus  Hippius 
is  also  shown.  To  this  spot  Oedipus  is  said  to  come  (this 
is  at  variance  with  Homer’s  account,  but  they  say  it)  and 
here  is  an  altar  of  Poseidon  Hippius  and  Athena  Hippia, 
also  an  heroum  of  Peirithous  and  Theseus,  and  one  of  Oedi- 
pus and  Adrastus.  The  grove  and  the  temple  of  Poseidon 
were  burned  by  Antigonus,  whose  army  also  devastated 
the  land  of  the  Athenians  at  other  times.” 

Aside  from  its  unhappy  association  with  the  raid  of 
Antigonus,  Colonus  scarcely  comes  into  the  field  of  historical 
mention,  except  as  the  scene  of  an  assembly  held  by  the 


380 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


Athenian  oligarchs  in  41 1 b.c.  But  in  the  vision  of  the 
lover  of  literature  the  region  looms  large.  The  dramatist 
Sophocles  was  born  near  the  knoll,  and  here,  in  his  old  age, 
he  set  the  scene  of  his  last  immortal  tragedy,  the  Oedipus  at 
Colonus.  In  the  poet’s  time  the  hill  was  covered  with  vegeta- 
tion, which  spread  all  about  its  foot.  In  one  of  the  noblest 
lyrics  of  his  drama,  a passage  that  should  silence  those  who 


accuse  the  Greeks  of  lack  of  appreciation  of  the  charms  of  na- 
ture, Sophocles  sings  (vv.  668  ff. ; Plumptre’s  translation) : 

aOf  all  the  land  far  famed  for  goodly  steeds, 

Thou  com’st,  O stranger,  to  the  noblest  spot, 

Colonus,  glistening  bright, 

Where  evermore,  in  thickets  freshly  green, 


THE  COURTS  AND  THE  SUBURBS 


38i 


The  clear-voiced  nightingale 
Still  haunts,  and  pours  her  song, 

By  purpling  ivy  hid, 

And  the  thick  leafage  sacred  to  the  God, 

With  all  its  myriad  fruits, 

By  mortal’s  foot  untouched, 

By  sun’s  hot  ray  unscathed, 

Sheltered  from  every  blast ; 

There  wanders  Dionysus  evermore, 

In  full  wild  revelry, 

And  waits  upon  the  nymphs  who  nursed  his  youth. 

And  there,  beneath  the  gentle  dews  of  heaven, 

The  fair  narcissus  with  its  clustered  bells 
Blooms  ever,  day  by  day, 

Of  old  the  wreath  of  mightiest  goddesses ; 

And  crocus  golden-eyed ; 

And  still  unslumbering  flow 
Cephissus’  wandering  streams.” 


Fig.  250.  — Hill  of  Demeter  Euchloiis,  from  the  chapel  of  Hagia  Eleousa. 


382 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


Recent  studies  have  shown,  what  before  was  inadequately 
appreciated,  that  the  topography  of  the  region  is  followed 
closely  in  the  drama  (Fig.  249).  The  chasm  of  the  Furies, 
which  has  its  place  in  the  poem,  is  found  a little  to  the 
southeast  of  the  hill.  Between  the  hill  and  the  chasm  was 
the  Furies’  grove  and  sacred  precinct.  On  the  saddle  of 
the  knoll  was  the  altar  of  Poseidon  and  Athena,  which  the 
poet  mentions  also,  and  on  the  summit  was  the  altar  of 
Prometheus  and  Hephaestus.  Along  the  western  slope  was 
the  grove  of  Poseidon,  at  the  upper  end  of  which  was  the 
mystic  shrine  of  Pluto,  where  the  little  church  of  St.  Ele- 
ousa  conceals  a fabled  entrance  to  the  underworld.  To  the 
region  of  the  Plutoneum  leads  the  “ cataract  road”  which 
Oedipus  with  his  little  retinue  trod  to  his  sudden  and  mys- 
terious vanishment.  A few  hundred  yards  to  the  north 
rises  the  green  hill  of  Verdant  Demeter  (Fig.  250),  whither 
the  faithful  daughters,  Antigone  and  Ismene,  are  sent  by 
Oedipus  to  fetch  water  for  purificatory  rites. 


CHAPTER  X 


Peiraeus  and  the  Ports  of  Athens 

THE  PORTS 

The  fortunes  of  Peiraeus  are  so  closely  bound  up  with 
those  of  Athens  that  the  two  centers  of  population  have 
always  been  regarded  as  forming  one  city.  In  ancient  times 
Athens  proper  was  often  termed  the  “ upper  town,”  or 
Asty,  in  contradistinction  to  the  joint  city,  the  Polis.  Had 
the  Athenians  after  the  Persian  Wars  been  able,  as  Themis- 
tocles  desired,  to  break  the  bonds  of  sentiment  that  held 
them  to  the  vicinity  of  the  Acropolis,  Athens  might  have 
fulfilled  an  even  more  brilliant  destiny  than  she  did ; Pei- 
raeus would  have  been  an  almost  ideal  site  for  the  center  of 
a maritime  empire.  Failing  in  his  far-seeing  project  for  a 
new  metropolis  on  the  coast,  the  Athenian  statesman  began 
the  fortification  of  the  lower  city  and  her  ports,  and  the 
construction  of  the  Long  Walls,  which  united  the  two  sec- 
tions of  the  city  (pp.  72  ff.). 

Ancient  literature  preserved  the  tradition  of  a geological 
era  when  Peiraeus  was  an  island,  and  ascribed  the  very 
name  to  association  with  the  word  “peran,”  “ beyond”  the 
coast.  But  before  the  earliest  historical  period  the  Cephis- 
sus  had  brought  down  the  silt  which  thereafter  connected 
the  former  island  with  the  mainland. 

The  peninsula  of  Peiraeus  (Fig.  251)  is  about  two  miles 
in  greatest  length,  from  northeast  to  southwest ; its  surface 
is  uneven.  The  Hill  of  Munychia  (Fig.  252)  at  the  north- 

383 


384 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


Fig.  251.  — Map  of  Peiraeus. 


PEIRAEUS  AND  THE  PORTS  OF  ATHENS  385 


east  is  284  feet  in  height ; the  broad  Hill  of  Acte  at  the  other 
extremity  190  feet;  and  these  two  elevations  are  joined  by 
an  isthmus  some  50  feet  in  height,  which  divides  the  city 
into  two  parts.  The  fortifications  included  also  the  Hill 


Fig.  252.  — Hill  of  Munychia,  seen  across  the  great  harbor  of  Peiraeus; 
Hymettus  in  the  distance. 


of  Eetioneia,  across  the  bay  to  the  north,  thus  dominating 
the  entrance  to  the  principal  port.  The  coast  line  is  ir- 
regular, being  indented  with  three  large  bays. 

Before  the  Persian  Wars  the  port  of  Athens  was  the 
broad  Bay  of  Phalerum  (Fig.  253),  an  open  roadstead  ex- 
tending eastward  from  Peiraeus  to  the  Cape  of  St.  George, 
or  Trispyrgi,  probably  the  ancient  Cape  Colias,  where  now 
is  located  Old  Phaleron.  The  Phaleric  Harbor  is  said  to 
have  been  twenty  furlongs,  about  2.2  miles,  from  the  Acro- 
polis (pp.  72 f.).  At  present  the  nearest  distance  to  the  sea 
is  twenty-seven  or  twenty-eight  furlongs,  a little  more  than 
three  miles.  Hence  we  must  suppose  that  the  coast,  which 
here  is  low  and  somewhat  marshy,  has  filled  in  since  ancient 
times.  We  hear  of  no  quays  belonging  to  this  ancient 


386  ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 

harbor,  and  probably  there  were  none ; Athens  had  no 
fleet  of  importance  before  the  Persian  Wars. 

The  deme,  or  village,  of  Phalerum  (p.  73),  from  which 
the  bay  took  its  name,  possessed  various  shrines,  some  of 


Fig.  253.  — View  northeast  from  the  Hill  of  Munychia. 

The  Bay  of  Phalerum  is  seen  in  the  foreground;  bordering  it  are  the  buildings  of  New 
Phaleron.  In  the  distance,  at  the  left,  is  Athens;  in  the  background  Mts.  Pentelicus  and 
Hymettus. 

which  are  mentioned  by  Pausanias.  Near  the  harbor  he 
saw  a sanctuary  of  Demeter.  “Here  too,”  he  continues, 
“is  a temple  of  Sciradian  Athena,  and  farther  on  one  of 
Zeus.  There  are  altars  of  the  gods  named  Unknown,  and 
of  heroes,  and  of  the  sons  of  Theseus,  and  of  Phalerus. 
This  Phalerus,  the  Athenians  say,  sailed  with  Jason  to  the 
land  of  the  Colchians.  There  is  also  an  altar  of  Androgeos 
son  of  Minos.  It  is  called  the  altar  of  Hero  ; but  those  who 
have  the  best  understanding  of  native  traditions  know  that 
it  belongs  to  Androgeos.  Twenty  furlongs  away  is  Cape 
Colias ; on  this,  when  the  fleet  of  the  Medes  was  destroyed, 


PEIRAEUS  AND  THE  PORTS  OF  ATHENS  387 

the  waves  washed  up  the  wreckage.  Here  is  a statue  of 
Colian  Aphrodite,  and  the  goddesses  known  as  the  Genetyl- 
lides.  The  Phocians  in  Ionia  have  goddesses  whom  they 
call  Gennaides,  and  these  are  the  same  as  the  ones  of  Colias.” 
Herodotus  (8,  96)  speaks  of  the  wreckage  cast  up  on  Colias 
and  connects  the  event  with  an  oracle  of  many  years 
before:  “ Colian  women  shall  cook  their  food  with  oars.” 

“The  country  in  the  neighborhood  is  barren,  solitary, 
and  desolate  in  a high  degree.  The  stony  and  broken  soil 
is  traversed  by  the  beds,  generally  dry,  of  many  brooks. 
As  far  as  the  eye  can  reach,  from  the  sea  to  the  foot  of  Mt. 
Hymettus,  ancient  tombs  are  seen  dotted  over  the  land- 
scape, rising  in  the  form  of  mounds  above  the  stunted 
bushes  which  cover  the  low  ground.  Melancholy  at  all 
times,  the  landscape  is  doubly  gloomy  in  winter,  when  dark 
clouds  lower  on  Mt.  Hymettus  and  shut  out  the  view  across 
the  sea  to  the  coast  of  Peloponnese.”  1 

After  the  fortification  of  Peiraeus,  with  its  superior  har- 
bors, the  Phaleric  Harbor  fell  into  disuse,  and  thenceforward 
the  Peiraic  harbors  alone  were  developed.  The  three 
harbors  of  Peiraeus  were  Munychia,  Zea,  and  Cantharus. 
A few  still  dissent  from  the  current  view  as  to  the  identi- 
fication of  these  harbors,  but  the  majority  of  scholars  are 
in  substantial  agreement. 

The  Munychia  Harbor  is  the  smallest  of  the  three  and 
lies  at  the  eastern  foot  of  the  hill  of  the  same  name,  spurs 
of  which  almost  surround  it  (Fig.  254).  The  bay  is  oval 
in  shape  and  measures  about  800'  by  1000  feet.  Its  east 
and  exposed  side  was  fortified  by  the  strong  wall  of  the  city 
and  by  terminal  towers,  the  narrow  entrance  between  which 
could  be  closed  by  a chain  or  rope  (p.  67).  About  sixty 

1 Frazer,  Pausanias,  II,  p.  36.  But  the  mounds  of  which  Frazer  speaks 
have  been  found  to  be  heaps  of  stones  thrown  up  by  husbandmen,  not  tombs. 


388 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


yards  off  the  shore,  southwest  of  the  castle  which  guarded 
the  south  arm  of  the  harbor,  is  the  bald  rocky  islet  of  Stalida, 


Fig.  254. — Munychia  Harbor,  from  the  Hill  of  Munychia. 

about  sixty-five  feet  in  height.  It  bears  no  signs  of  ancient 
occupancy. 

Approximately  half  a mile  west  of  Munychia  is  the  Bay 
of  Zea  (Fig.  255),  a mushroom-shaped  harbor,  whose  head 


Fig.  255.  — Zea  Harbor,  from  the  Hill  of  Munychia. 


PEIRAEUS  AND  THE  PORTS  OF  ATHENS  389 


measures  approximately  1300  feet  in  diameter.  Its  throat 
and  entrance  were  fortified  with  walls  and  towers  like  Muny- 
chia  (p.  67) ; though  at  present  few  remains  exist,  and  the 
level  of  the  ground  above  the  entire  circuit  has  been  raised 
so  as  to  form  an  open  plaza. 

Cantharus,  the  “ largest  harbor,”  as  Pausanias  rightly 
calls  it,  lies  to  the  north  of  the  peninsula  (Fig.  256).  Its 
putative  resemblance  to  the  familiar  drinking-cup  seen  in 
representations  of  Dionysus  (cf.  Fig.  104)  probably  sug- 
gested the  name.  The  average  width  of  the  bay  from  north- 
west to  southeast  is  about  2300  feet;  its  length  from  the 
moles  at  the  entrance  to  the  northerly  extremities  is  about 
3800  feet,  not  including  “Dumb  Harbor,”  a shallow  exten- 
sion to  the  north  which  is  now  used  by  freight  vessels. 
This  harbor,  like  the  others,  is  almost  surrounded  by  hills. 
The  ancient  moles  have  nearly  disappeared,  and  new  ones 
have  been  constructed  much  farther  to  the  west,  greatly 
enlarging  its  capacity.  While  the  small  harbors  are  at 
present  little  used  and  are  accessible  only  for  small  craft, 
Cantharus  is  always  thronged  with  boats,  varying  in  size 
from  the  tiny  skiffs  of  the  “Barkares”  to  ocean  liners ; the 
port  is  one  of  the  busiest  of  the  Mediterranean.  The  an- 
cient quays  have  been  overbuilt  by  the  modern  and  are 
now  completely  concealed,  unfortunately  without  an  ade- 
quate study  of  them  having  previously  been  made. 

Of  the  different  parts  of  the  harbor  mentioned  by  ancient 
writers  few  can  be  identified.  Two  large  stones  found  in 
the  water,  one  near  the  present  Custom  House,  the  other 
near  the  entrance  to  Dumb  Harbor,  bear  the  words, 
“Boundary  of  the  anchorage  of  the  freight-boats;”  these 
may  indicate  the  limits  of  the  mercantile  quay.  A pro- 
jecting arm  midway  between  these  points  may  be  the  Dia- 
zeugma,  or  Parting.  The  Choma,  or  Dam,  is  mentioned 


Fig.  256.  — Peiraeus  and  the  harbor  of  Cantharus,  from  the  Hill  of  Munychia. 

In  the  background  is  the  island  of  Salamis;  the  darker  islet  before  it  is  Psytalleia. 


PEIRAEUS  AND  THE  PORTS  OF  ATHENS  391 


by  Xenophon  in  connection  with  the  fortification  built  by 
the  Four  Hundred  on  Eetioneia;  hence  we  may  look  for 
it  near  the  mouth  of  Dumb  Harbor.  From  the  Choma 
ships  of  war  set  out,  and  here  the  senators  met  prior  to 
such  departures.  For  this  reason  some  would  locate  the 
Choma  at  the  south  end  of  the  peninsula  near  the  outlet 
of  the  harbor. 

The  most  interesting  feature  of  the  harbors  was  the  series 
of  shipsheds.  From  an  inscription  we  understand  that 
near  the  end  of  the  fourth  century  b.c.  these  numbered 
372,  of  which  196  were  in  Zea,  82  in  Munychia,  and  94  in 
Cantharus.  Athens  possessed  at  this  time  about  four 
hundred  galleys;  but  some  of  these  were  always  at  sea. 
In  their  shipsheds  the  Athenians  took  great  pride.  The 
first  cost  of  them  is  said  to  have  been  1000  talents,  or  more 
than  $1,000,000,  but  at  the  end  of  the  century  the  Thirty 


Fig.  257.  — Remains  of  shipsheds. 


sold  them  by  auction  for  three  talents.  After  various 
vicissitudes  the  rebuilding  of  the  sheds  was  completed  by 


392 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


Lycurgus  (p.  39).  Sulla  ruined  them  again  in  86  b.c.,  but 
afterwards  they  were  once  more  rebuilt. 

Abundant  remains  of  the  shipsheds  have  been  uncovered, 
particularly  in  the  harbors  of  Munychia  and  Zea  (Fig.  257) ; 
these  harbors  were  surrounded  by  sheds,  sometimes  two 
rows  deep.  The  largest  extant  group  is  on  the  east  side 

of  Zea  Harbor.  Here  the  re- 
mains may  be  seen  from  the 
plaza,  but  the  embankment  has 
obliterated  large  portions.  In 
Cantharus  the  sheds  seem  to  have 
been  confined  to  the  coast  be- 
tween the  present  Custom  House 
and  the  southern  mole. 

A study  of  the  ruins  in  differ- 
ent places  has  made  clear  the 
main  features  of  the  construction 
(Fig.  258).  The  sheds  were  of 
poros  and  were  built  side  by  side ; 
their  lower  ends  extend  down  into 
the  water,  the  upper  ends  termi- 
nating in  a heavy  continuous  wall 
about  1 20  feet  back  from  the  bay. 
In  Zea  this  wall  also  supported 
the  road  which  ran  around  the 
harbor.  From  the  wall  rows  of 
columns  descended  the  slope  into 
the  water.  The  alternate  rows 
of  these  columns  begin  from  an- 
tae  projecting  two  yards  from  the 
rear  wall.  The  rows  were  about 
twenty-one  feet  apart,  those  not  starting  from  the  antae  be- 
ing higher  and  wider  spaced  than  the  others.  Saddle  roofs, 


Fig.  258.  — Plan  and  section  of 
shipsheds. 


PEIRAEUS  AND  THE  PORTS  OF  ATHENS  393 

probably  of  wood,  covered  the  sheds  by  pairs,  the  higher 
columns  supporting  the  ridgepoles  (Fig.  258).  Through  the 
middle  of  each  slip  ran  a base  three  feet  high  and  ten  feet 
wide.  This  was  grooved  down  the  middle  to  receive  the 
keels  of  the  boats ; the  ships  were  warped  up  by  pulleys  to 
their  places,  where  they  could  be  cleaned  and  repaired. 

The  wooden  gear  of  the  ships,  masts,  rudders,  oars,  and 
the  like,  was  kept  in  the  ships;  but  for  the  hanging  gear, 
such  as  sails  and  cordage,  a special  arsenal  was  provided. 
The  Old  Arsenal  is  known  to  us  only  by  name,  but  a new 
arsenal  was  constructed  between  the  years  347  and  329  b.c. 
This  was  one  of  the  most  elegant  of  Athenian  buildings, 
and  was  planned  by  Philo  of  Eleusis.  It  was  destroyed  by 
Sulla,  and  not  a trace  of  it  has  been  found.  Fortunately, 
however,  we  possess  a long  inscription  containing  a copy 
of  the  specifications  for  the  building,  so  detailed  and  pre- 
cise, that  the  Arsenal  can  be  reconstructed  with  greater 
accuracy  than  some  buildings  of  which  considerable  remains 
are  left.  The  inscription  was  discovered  in  1882  about  130 
yards  northeast  of  Zea  Harbor.  As  the  specifications  pre- 
scribe that  the  Arsenal  shall  extend  from  the  Propylum  of 
the  Agora  (p.  397)  to  the  rear  of  the  shipsheds  of  Zea,  the 
place  where  the  inscription  was  found  is  probably  close  to 
the  site  of  the  building. 

The  Arsenal  of  Philo  was  built  of  poros;  it  was  405 
Greek  feet  long  by  55  feet  wide  (Figs.  259  and  260).  Its 
walls  were  30  feet  high,  to  the  bottom  of  the  cornice.  A 
triglyph  frieze  extended  around  the  building.  Light  was 
provided  by  windows  three  feet  high  and  two  feet  wide. 
There  were  thirty-six  windows  on  each  side,  and  three  on 
each  end  ; these  could  be  closed  by  bronze  shutters.  When 
doors  and  windows  were  closed,  the  building  was  ventilated 
by  slits  left  between  the  stones.  The  roof  was  made  of 


394 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


wooden  rafters,  first  covered  with  boards  fastened  with 
iron  nails,  and  then  with  Corinthian  tiles.  In  each  end  of 
the  building  were  two  doors,  each  14  feet  high  and  9 
feet  wide ; the  doors  were  separated  by  a deep  pilaster, 


Fig.  259.  — Fagade  of  the  Arsenal  of  Philo,  restored. 


or  metopon,  this  central  pilaster  and  those  at  the  side  being 
extended  into  the  building  to  form  a vestibule.  Over  the 
lintel  of  each  pair  of  doors,  on  the  outside,  was  a projecting 
cornice.  The  entire  interior  of  the  building  was  paved  with 
stone,  and  was  divided  into  a nave  and  aisles  by  two  rows 
of  columns,  or  square  pillars,  thirty-five  on  each  side.  The 


nave  was  intended  as  a public  promenade.  On  either  side, 
between  the  columns,  was  a stone  balustrade,  with  a lat- 
ticed gate  in  each  intercolumniation.  Through  these  gates 
access  was  secured  to  the  aisles,  where  the  hanging  gear 
was  stored.  The  canvas  was  kept  in  presses  standing 
against  the  columns  and  the  side  walls.  On  upper  galleries 
the  cordage  was  laid  on  open  shelves. 


PEIRAEUS  AND  THE  PORTS  OF  ATHENS  395 


“Thither  on  the  burning  days  of  summer,  one  may  sup- 
pose, crowds  were  glad  to  escape  from  the  blinding  glare 
and  stifling  heat  of  the  streets,  and  to  promenade  in  the 
cool,  lofty,  and  dimly-lighted  arcade,  often  stopping  to 
gaze  with  idle  curiosity  or  patriotic  pride  at  the  long  array 
of  well-ordered  tackle  which  spoke  of  the  naval  supremacy 
of  Athens.”  1 

Of  other  naval  buildings  and  docks  we  have  almost  no 
knowledge.  Extensive  shipyards  for  the  building  of  galleys 
must  have  existed,  perhaps  on  Eetioneia,  but  of  these  we 
only  know  that  one  part  bore  the  name  of  Telegoneia. 

THE  SEAPORT  CITY 

Peiraeus  entered  upon  a new  epoch  of  her  history  about 
the  middle  of  the  fifth  century  b.c.,  when,  probably  at  the 
invitation  of  Pericles,  the  Milesian  architect  and  scientist 
Hippodamus  arrived  to  lay  out  the  city  anew.  Thus 
Peiraeus  was  the  first  European  city  to  be  built  after  a 
regular  plan,  with  broad  streets,  rectangular  blocks,  and 
open  squares,  in  accordance  with  the  general  principles 
which  Hippodamus  desired  to  establish  for  all  human  affairs. 
The  somewhat  crotchety  Milesian  later  accompanied  the 
Athenian  colonists  to  Italy,  where  he  laid  out  the  new  city 
of  Thurii  in  443  b.c.  He  is  said  also  to  have  made  the 
plan  for  the  city  of  Rhodes  in  408  b.c.  The  arrangement 
which  he  devised  for  Peiraeus  was  carried  out  by  the  ex- 
penditure of  enormous  sums,  and  his  plan  persisted  through- 
out antiquity ; it  has  in  part  been  imitated  in  the  modern 
city,  as  well  as  in  other  cities  throughout  the  world. 

The  centers  of  interest  in  the  new  Peiraeus  were  the 
Emporium,  along  the  shore  of  Cantharus  Harbor,  and  the 

1 Frazer,  op.  cit .,  II,  p.  20. 


396 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


Hippodamian  Agora,  at  the  west  foot  of  the  hill  of  Muny- 
chia.  Into  the  Emporium,  as  says  the  author  of  the  Con- 
stitution of  the  Athenians , poured  the  goods  of  Sicily,  Italy, 
Cyprus,  Egypt,  Lydia,  Pontus,  Chersonesus,  and  the  rest 
of  the  world,  when  Athens  was  ruler  of  the  sea ; and  a pas- 
sage from  the  comic  poet  Hermippus  enumerates  a score  of 
stuffs  which  the  various  states  of  the  Mediterranean  fur- 
nished for  Athens’s  use.  The  Emporium’s  northern  and 
southern  limits  were  doubtless  the  boundary  stones  which 
have  been  mentioned  (p.  389) ; these  belong  to  the  Hippo- 
damian period.  Between  these  points  stretched  the  prin- 
cipal quay,  as  to-day.  Another  inscription,  found  some 
500  feet  east  of  the  Custom  House,  bears  the  words : 
“ Boundary  of  the  emporium  and  the  street.”  An  angle  of 
wall  discovered  just  south  of  this  point  seems  to  mark  the 
corner  of  the  boundary  wall,  which  extended  northwest- 
ward to  the  shore  and  northeastward  to  a point  beyond  the 
corner  of  the  harbor,  where  it  turned  at  a right  angle  and 
continued  to  the  city  wall  near  Dumb  Harbor. 

In  this  area  were  the  “five  stoae”  mentioned  in  a passage 
ascribed  to  “Callicrates  or  Menecles”  (Schol.  Aristophanes, 
Peace  145):  “Peiraeus  has  three  harbors,  all  closed;  one 
is  the  harbor  called  Cantharus,  in  which  are  the  sixty  docks, 
then  the  Aphrodisium,  then  in  a circle  about  the  harbor 
five  stoae.”  An  extant  inscription  also  mentions  these 
sites  in  the  same  order.  One  of  the  stoae  must  be  identical 
with  the  Long  Stoa.  This  is  doubtless  the  one  said  by 
Thucydides  to  have  been  walled  off  by  the  Four  Hundred 
at  the  time  of  their  construction  of  a wall  on  Eetioneia. 
Accordingly  it  must  be  sought  at  the  north  end  of  the 
harbor,  near  the  present  Karaiskakis  Square.  Another  of 
the  stoae  may  have  been  the  Deigma,  or  Display  House,  a 
sort  of  bazaar  or  exchange,  where  importers  gathered  to 


PEIRAEUS  AND  THE  PORTS  OF  ATHENS  397 


show  their  wares.  This  was  no  doubt  one  of  the  busiest 
places  of  the  city.  Tradesmen  of  all  kinds  were  there, 
bankers  and  money  changers,  and  the  various  purchasers 
and  small  dealers.  Among  them  was  to  be  found  the 
“ Pretender”  of  Theophrastus’s  Characters , boasting  to 
strangers  “how  much  money  he  had  at  sea.” 

Apparently  the  stoae  formed  a sort  of  facade  near  the 
quays  : behind  them  were  the  stands  and  stalls  of  hucksters. 
Here  too  were  located  the  inns  for  sailors,  as  well  as  the 
■resorts  of  amusement  and  vice  in  which  they  delighted. 
Possibly  not  without  regard  to  the  sailors  was  the  Aphro- 
disium  founded  by  Themistocles  and  furnished  with  a 
temple  by  Conon.  An  Aphrodisium  is  known  from  an 
inscription  to  have  stood  to  the  north  of  the  towers  on 
Eetioneia,  near  the  modern  Larissa  railroad  station.  The 
passage  from  Callicrates  or  Menecles,  however,  seems  to 
demand  another  near  the  Custom  House.  “Behind  the 
stoa  on  the  sea”  Pausanias  saw  statues  of  Zeus  and  the 
People,  by  Leochares,  but  of  these  we  know  nothing 
more. 

The  Hippodamian  Agora  can  be  located  only  with  rela- 
tion to  the  Arsenal  of  Philo,  which  lay  between  the  Agora 
and  the  harbor  of  Zea  (p.  393).  The  site  of  the  Arsenal  is 
doubtful,  but  we  cannot  go  far  astray  in  locating  the  Agora 
on  the  ridge  west  of  the  hill  of  Munychia  (cf.  Fig.  251). 
It  must  have  been  spacious,  for  troops  sometimes  were 
quartered  in  it.  Whether  or  not  it  was  surrounded  by 
stoae  and  other  buildings  we  can  only  guess.  The  existence 
of  a propylum,  or  gateway,  helps  to  confirm  the  supposition 
that  it  was.  It  was  not  paved,  for  in  320  b.c.,  a decree 
was  passed  “that  the  Agora  in  Peiraeus  shall  be  repaired 
and  leveled  up  as  well  as  possible.”  The  inscription  re- 
cording this  decree  throws  light  on  local  conditions  at  the 


39^ 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


time  by  the  regulation  that  “no  one  shall  dump  dirt  or 
dung  or  anything  else  in  the  Agora  or  in  the  streets.” 

The  sides  of  the  Agora  lay  parallel  to  the  principal 
streets  of  the  city,  of  which  from  ancient  sources  we  have 
knowledge  of  only  one.  According  to  Xenophon  (. Hellen . 
2,  4,  ii),  at  the  time  of  the  battle  between  Thrasybulus 
and  the  (probably  3000)  soldiers  of  the  Thirty  Tyrants, 
“Those  from  the  City  came  into  the  Hippodamian  Agora, 
and  then  first  were  marshaled  so  as  to  fill  the  street  which 
leads  to  the  sanctuary  of  Munychian  Artemis  and  the  Ben- 
dideum ; and  they  numbered  not  less  than  fifty  shield  in 
depth.”  From  these  figures  and  the  known  method  of 
deploying  Greek  troops  the  width  of  this  road  from  the 
side  of  the  Agora  up  the  slope  of  Munychia  has  been  es- 
timated at  a hundred  feet,  or  a plethron,  which  seems  to 
have  been  a favorite  measure  of  Hippodamus. 

Some  thirty  yards  northwest  of  the  place  where  we  have 
located  the  Agora,  and  underneath  the  modern  theater,  the 
remains  of  a private  house  have  been  found  which  measure 
about  75  by  130  feet.  Adjoining  it  was  a sanctuary 
of  Dionysius  which  belonged  to  a society  of  Dionysiasts 
founded  by  a certain  Dionysius  of  Marathon.  The  former 
of  these  buildings  is  situated  on  the  corner  of  two  streets, 
one  of  them  fifty  feet  wide,  which  corresponds  almost 
exactly  in  direction  with  the  streets  of  the  modern  city; 
the  difference  of  orientation  is  only  four  degrees.  The 
direction  of  the  system  of  streets  as  thus  determined  is 
consistent  with  the  line  of  the  walls  of  the  Emporium  and 
indicates  with  a degree  of  probability  that  the  Agora  and 
the  Emporium,  as  might  have  been  anticipated,  had  the 
same  relative  orientation.  Slight  evidence  of  a like  ad- 
justment of  other  streets  is  also  found,  but  remains  on 
the  east  end  of  Acte  show  that  the  streets  there  were 


PEIRAEUS  AND  THE  PORTS  OF  ATHENS  399 


orientated  somewhat  differently,  as  are  those  of  the  northern 
slope  to-day. 

Very  little  of  the  inner  city  of  Peiraeus  now  remains. 
The  site  of  its  most  famous  sanctuary  cannot  be  deter- 
mined. This  sanctuary  was  sacred  to  Zeus  Savior  and 
Athena  Savior,  and  was  known  also  as  the  Disoterium. 
As  to  its  position  we  can  only  judge  that  it  was  on  an  eleva- 
tion so  that  it  could  be  seen  by  one  sailing  away  from  the 
city.  Pausanias  remarks  that  it  was  “ the  best  worth  seeing 
of  anything  in  Peiraeus.  Both  statues  are  of  bronze,  and 
that  of  Zeus  bears  a scepter  and  a Victory,  while  that  of 
Athena  has  a spear.”  Strabo  asserts  (9,  395)  that  in  his  day 
Peiraeus  was  reduced  to  “a  petty  colony  about  the  harbors 
and  the  sanctuary  of  Zeus  Savior,”  and  that  “the  small 
stoae  (stoidia)  possess  marvelous  pictures  by  distinguished 
artists,  while  the  open  area  has  statues.”  We  have  reason 
to  believe,  however,  that  Strabo  never  saw  the  place,  and 
that  he  exaggerated  its  diminution  in  size,  though  he  may 
be  correct  on  the  other  points.  Among  the  pictures  which 
he  mentions  must  have  been  Arcesilaus’s  painting  of  Le- 
osthenes,  the  leader  of  the  Greeks  against  the  Macedonians, 
and  his  sons.  A bronze  statue  of  the  father  of  Leocrates 
was  also  set  up  here,  and  we  have  a list  of  other  objects  in  the 
precinct.  From  Pliny  {Nat.  hist.  34,  74)  we  learn  that  the 
sculptor  Cephisodotus  made  “a  marvelous  Minerva  in  the 
port  of  the  Athenians  and  an  altar  at  the  temple  of  Jupiter 
Servator  in  the  same  port,  comparable  to  few.”  At  some 
time  during  the  year  a great  festal  parade  was  conducted 
in  honor  of  Savior  Zeus  and  Dionysus. 

As  a seaport  town  Peiraeus  was  the  center  of  many  local 
and  foreign  cults  which  not  often  received  recognition  on 
Greek  soil.  Among  the  strange  gods  we  find  Isis,  Serapis, 
Men,  Baal,  Ammon,  Bendis,  Sabazius,  Attis;  and  how 


400 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


many  others  there  were  we  cannot  tell.  In  cults  as  in  com- 
merce Peiraeus  was  cosmopolitan. 

Of  private  houses  known  to  have  been  in  Peiraeus  our  list 
is  not  long,  but  it  contains  a few  of  much  interest.  Hip- 
podamus  dwelt  here  in  the  city  which  he  had  planned; 
afterwards  he  donated  his  house  to  the  state.  Here  too 
lived  the  younger  Callias  and  the  banker  Pasion.  In  the 
house  of  the  aged  Cephalus  at  Peiraeus  the  scene  of  Plato’s 
Republic  is  set ; and  in  the  same  house  later  lived 
Cephalus’s  illustrious  son,  the  orator  Lysias. 

Peiraeus  possessed  two  theaters.  Of  these  the  older  was 
on  the  western  slope  of  Munychia  Hill.  Scanty  ruins  of  it 
have  been  discovered,  and  the  site  is  now  largely  built 
over.  Down  to  Hellenistic  times  this  must  have  been  the 
only  theater.  Xenophon  ( Hellen . 2,  4,  32)  speaks  of  “the 
theater  in  Peiraeus”  as  if  but  one  existed,  and  Thucydides 
mentions  (8,  93,  1)  “the  Dionysiac  theater  on  Munychia” 
in  the  same  manner.  Aelian  informs  us  ( Var . hist.  2,  13) 
that  “when  Euripides  was  competing  at  Peiraeus,  Socrates 
went  down,”  which  throws  a sidelight  upon  poet  and 
philosopher.  In  later  times  this  naturally  became  known 
as  the  “old  theater.” 

The  younger  theater  is  dated  by  an  inscription  at  the 
middle  of  the  second  century  b.c.  The  scanty  ruins  have 
been  found  just  west  of  the  south  end  of  Zea  Harbor.  The 
theater  is  of  the  usual  form ; apparently  it  was  never  made 
over  in  Roman  times,  as  was  the  theater  in  the  City.  In 
size  it  was  small.  The  orchestra  was  only  fifty  Greek  feet 
in  diameter;  the  auditorium  was  about  220  feet  wide  by 
120  feet  deep;  the  scene  building  was  about  108  feet  long 
and  39  feet  wide.  The  auditorium  was  divided  by  fourteen 
stairways  into  thirteen  wedges;  its  zones  were  separated 
by  the  customary  diazoma,  or  aisle  (Fig.  261). 


PEIRAEUS  AND  THE  PORTS  OF  ATHENS  401 


Fig.  261.  — Plan  of  the  small  theater  of  Peiraeus. 


Scanty  ruins  remain  of  a few  other  ancient  sites.  Along 
the  precipitous  coast  midway  between  Munychia  and  Zea 
Harbors,  and  be- 
low a series  of  vo- 
tive niches,  are  a 
few  remains  of  an 
ancient  shrine  of 
Zeus  Meilichius 
(Gentle),  associ- 
ated here  with 
Zeus  Philius 
(Friendly)  and 
Good  Fortune. 

Near  by  are  a 
cave  in  the  cliff 
and  the  rock- 
hewn  remains  of  what  seems  to  be  a bathhouse.  This  may 
be  the  one  known  as  the  “bath  of  Serangeum.” 

On  the  ridge  above  this  point  are  the  ruins  of  the  precinct 
of  Munychian  Asclepius,  with  an  inclosure  containing  a 
temple.  This  unquestionably  is  the  “Asclepieum  in  Pei- 
raeus,” so  distinguished  from  the  Asclepieum  “in  Asty” 
(pp.  206  ff.).  Health  (Hygieia)  was  also  worshiped  here,  and 
Asclepius  was  revered  along  with  other  gods.  Inscriptions 
found  in  the  area  make  mention  of  altars  on  which  cakes 
were  sacrificed. 

On  the  point  of  land  extending  hence  to  the  mouth  of  Zea 
Harbor  are  numerous  small  pits  cut  in  the  rock ; only  a few 
of  them  are  now  seen  beyond  the  new  wall  and  embankment. 
Possibly  these  pits  were  what  were  anciently  known  as  wells 
(phreata) , and  lent  their  name  to  the  court  called  Phreattys 
(p.  365).  If  so,  a cross- wall,  now  covered  up,  which  cut  off 
and  helped  to  inclose  this  spit  of  land,  would  be  explained. 


402 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


Close  by  the  west  end  of  Acte  are  the  ruins  of  an  ancient 
lighthouse,  and  near  it  are  the  scanty  remains  of  what  has 
long  been  known  as  the  tomb  of  Themistocles.  Plutarch 
reports  ( Themistocles  32)  that  Diodorus  the  Periegete  in  the 
lost  work  On  Tombs  said,  “that  near  the  great  harbor  of 
Peiraeus  a sort  of  elbow  juts  out  from  the  headland  by 
Alcimus;  when  you  have  rounded  this,  on  the  inside, 
where  the  sea  is  calm,  there  is  a basis  of  considerable  size, 
and  the  altar-like  structure  about  it  is  the  grave  of 
Themistocles.  And  he  thinks  that  Plato  the  comic  poet 
bears  witness  to  this  in  the  following  words  : — 

“ ‘Thy  tomb  whose  mound  is  raised  in  this  so  fair  a spot 
Will  greet  the  busy  throng  of  traders  everywhere ; 

The  seamen,  sailing  in  and  out,  it  will  behold, 

And  look  upon  the  emulation  of  the  ships.’” 

Thucydides  says  that  Themistocles’s  monument  was  in  the 
Agora  of  Magnesia,  but  that  at  Themistocles’s  bidding 
his  bones  were  brought  back  and  buried  secretly  in  his 
native  Attica.  This  meager  evidence  is  not  inconsistent 
with  the  location  of  the  tomb  at  the  spot  in  question,  but 
recently  the  tomb  has  been  thought  to  be  on  the  north  side 
of  the  strait  west  of  the  peninsula  of  Eetioneia. 


BIBLIOGRAPHY 


The  literature  on  the  topography  and  monuments  of  ancient 
Athens  is  voluminous.  English-speaking  readers  who  wish  to 
pursue  the  subject  further  will  find  Gardner’s  Ancient  Athens 
(1902)  and  D’Ooge’s  The  Acropolis  of  Athens  (1908)  both  schol- 
arly and  interesting.  Harrison  and  Verrall’s  Mythology  and 
Monuments  of  Ancient  Athens  (1890)  has  long  served  as  a vade 
mecum  for  the  traveler  and  student,  but  is  now  in  part  anti- 
quated and  is  out  of  print.  Miss  Harrison’s  Primitive  Athens  as 
Described  by  Thucydides  (1906)  is  an  illuminating  discussion  of 
a limited  portion  of  the  field.  Frazer’s  Pausanias's  Description 
of  Greece  (1898,  reprinted  1913 ; translation  and  commentary 
on  Pausanias’s  Attica  in  volumes  I and  II,  with  appendix  in 
volume  V)  is  also  invaluable.  The  fullest  and  most  indispen- 
sable single  treatise  is  Judeich’s  Topographie  von  Athen  (1905). 
Wachsmuth’s  Die  Stadt  Athen  im  Alterthum  (1874-1890),  in  two 
volumes,  but  unfinished,  is  a masterly  work  to  which  every 
later  student  is  indebted.  Hitzig  and  Bluemner’s  Pausaniae 
Graeciae  Descriptio  (1896-1910;  text  and  notes)  is  valuable. 
Petersen’s  Athen  (1908)  is  a useful  handbook.  Other  important 
works  are  Curtius’s  Stadtgeschichte  von  Athen  (1891;  including 
Milchhofer’s  Schriftquellen ),  Jahn-Michaelis’s  Arx  Athenarum 
(1901),  and  Wachsmuth’s  article  on  Athens  in  the  first  Supple- 
ment to  Pauly- Wissowa’s  Real-Encyclopadie  (1903). 

Exhaustive  bibliographies  are  given  in  these  works  and  in 
Carroll’s  The  Attica  of  Pausanias  (1907).  The  material  and  dis- 
cussions since  the  publication  of  the  books  mentioned  are  con- 
tained for  the  most  part  in  archaeological  publications ; a list  of 
the  periodicals  is  given  by  Carroll,  op.  cit.  pp.  221  f.  Among 
important  recent  monographs  are  the  following : Petersen’s 
Burgtempel  der  Athenaia  (1907) ; Koster’s  Das  Pelargikon 


403 


404 


ATHENS  AND  ITS  MONUMENTS 


(1909) ; Robert,  Pausanias  als  Schriftsteller  (1909) ; Brueckner’s 
Der  Friedhof  am  Eridanos  (1909),  supplemented  by  articles  in 
the  periodicals ; Shrader’s  Archaische  Marmor-Skulpturen  im 
Akropolis-Museum  (1909) ; Smith’s  The  Sculptures  of  the  Par- 
thenon (1910 ; a sumptuous  work  with  reproductions  and  text  in 
folio);  Elderkin’s  Problems  in  Periclean  Buildings  (1912); 
Goodyear’s  Greek  Refinements  (1912);  Svoronos’s  Itu  tov 
UapOevcovo^s  (1912).  Valuable  contributions  of  Svoronos  on  the 
Academy  and  Colonus  Hippius  are  published  in  To  eV  ’A0ijvais 
’Efli/iKoj/  MoweW  (also  in  German  as  Der  Athener  National- 
museum , 1910).  Brief  summaries  of  new  books  and  articles, 
as  well  as  reports  of  discoveries,  are  given  promptly  in  the 
American  Journal  of  Archaeology  in  the  department  of 
Archaeological  News.  A concise  survey  of  the  entire  field  of 
Greek  architecture,  sculpture,  and  the  other  arts  is  found  in 
Tarbell’s  A History  of  Greek  Art  (1896),  in  Walters’s  The  Art  of 
the  Greeks  (1906),  and  in  Fowler  and  Wheeler’s  A Handbook 
of  Greek  Archaeology  (1909). 


Fig.  262.  — Map  of  Athens. 


INDEX 


Academus,  or  Hecademus,  367 ; sanctu- 
ary of,  369. 

Academy,  365-369. 

Acharnian  gate,  65. 

Acratus,  mask  of,  80-81. 

Acropolis,  16-17,  224-356;  ascent  to, 
224-225,  236-237. 

Acte,  hill  of,  67,  385. 

Aegaleus,  15. 

Aegeus,  heroum  of,  239-240. 

Agathon  and  Sosicrates,  tomb  of,  376. 

Aglaurium,  or  Agraulium,  155 -157,  356. 

Agora,  name,  82 ; ancient,  82-87  5 Hel- 
lenic, 75-129;  Hellenistic  and 
Roman,  130-149;  Hippodamian, 
397-398. 

Agoracritus,  sculptor  of  Mother  of  the 
Gods,  97. 

Agoranomium,  129,  141. 

Agra,  or  Agrae,  26,  174. 

Agrippa,  monument  of,  44,  237-238. 

Agrippeum,  107-108. 

Agryle,  deme  of,  28. 

Alcamenes,  sculptor  of  Aphrodite  in  the 
Gardens,  170-171;  Ares,  103; 
Athena,  birth  of,  285;  Dionysus, 
185,  190;  Hecate,  248-252;  He- 
phaestus and  Athena  Hephaestia, 
121 ; Hera,  75;  Hermes  Propylaeus, 
248-252  ; Procne  and  Itys,  269. 

Alcimus,  cape,  67. 

Alexander,  offerings  by,  40,  202.  See 
statues. 

Alphitopolis,  79. 

Amazon  Antiope.  See  statues. 

Amazonium,  122,  360. 

Amazons,  tombs  of,  122. 

Amyneum,  83-85. 

Anaceum,  1 53-1 55- 

Anchesmus,  15. 

Anchiomolius,  tomb  of,  172 -173. 

Ancyle,  deme  of,  28. 

Androgeos,  tomb  of,  386. 

Andronicus  Cyrrhestes,  142. 


Antenor,  sculptor  of  archaic  figure,  339 ; 

Tyrannicides,  105-106. 

Antigonus,  41,  379. 

Antiochus  Epiphanes,  42,  201. 

Antipater,  40. 

Antistates,  et  al.,  architects  of  early 
Olympieum,  163. 

Antony  and  Cleopatra,  43.  See  statues. 
Aphrodisium,  39,  396-397. 

Aphrodite  Hegemone,  altar  of,  81 ; 
Pandemus,  sanctuary  of,  83,  221. 
See  statues  and  temples. 

Apollo,  cave  of,  352-354.  See  statues. 
Arcesilaus,  painting  by,  399. 

Arch  of  Hadrian,  55,  167-168. 

Ardettus,  or  Helicon,  178. 

Areopagus,  17,  357-361. 

Ariobarzanes,  43. 

Aristeides,  34,  273 ; grandson  of,  77. 
Aristion,  43,  51. 

Aristocles,  sculptor  of  Cleoetas,  267. 
Aristophon,  or  Aglaophon,  painting  by, 
248. 

Arrhephori,  338. 

Arsenal,  old,  393 ; of  Philo,  39, 43, 393~395- 
Artemis,  Ariste,  sanctuary  of,  366 ; 
Brauronia,  sanctuary  of,  252,  257- 
260 ; Calliste,  sanctuary  of,  366  ; 
Hecate,  sanctuary  of,  377-378; 
Munychian,  398;  Savior,  sanctuary 
of,  366.  See  statues. 

Asclepieum,  in  Asty,  38,  206-212;  in 
Peiraeus,  401. 

Asclepius,  85.  See  statues  and  temples. 
Asty,  383. 

Asty  gate,  68-69. 

Athena,  altars  of,  310,  367,  369.  See 
statues. 

Athenion,  130-13 1. 

Attalus  I,  41,  308-309.  See  statues. 
Attalus  II,  42,  130-134.  See  stoae. 
Atticus,  43. 

Augustus,  43,  163. 

| Averoff,  M.,  177. 

405 


406 


INDEX 


Babin,  3,  100. 
ballot  of  Zeus,  270. 

Barathrum,  17,  61. 

Basile.  See  Neleum. 

Basileum,  158. 

bath  of  Isthmonicus,  169 ; baths,  Roman, 
179. 

Bendideum,  398. 

Beule  gate,  216,  237. 
bibliography,  403-404. 

Blaute,  inclosure  of,  222. 

Brauronium,  252,  257-260. 
bricks,  use  of,  7. 

Brilessus.  See  Pentelicus. 

Brutus  and  Cassius,  43.  See  statues. 
Bryaxis,  statue  by,  81. 

Bucoleum,  158. 
building  materials,  5-1 1. 

Buleuterium,  24,  94-97. 

burial,  prohibition  of,  in  the  city,  62 ; 

repression  of  luxury  in,  40,  374. 
Byron,  Lord,  148,  182. 

Caesar,  Julius,  137. 

Calamis,  sculptor  of  Aphrodite,  252-255  ; 

Apollo  Alexicacus,  94;  Fury,  362. 
Callicrates,  architect  of  temple  of  Athena 
Victory,  243  ; of  Parthenon,  270. 
Callimachus,  lamp  of,  319. 

Callirrhoe,  18-19,  3°>  108-110. 

Calos,  tomb  of,  205-206. 

Cantharus  harbor,  387,  389. 

Capuchins,  3-4;  convent  of,  182. 

Carrey,  Jacques,  4,  284,  et  seq. 

Caryatids,  323-325- 
Cassander,  40. 

Catalans,  47. 

Cecropium,  317,  335. 

Ceiriadae,  deme  of,  28. 
cemeteries,  370-378. 

Cephisodotus,  sculptor  of  Eirene  and 
Plutus,  98-101 ; Minerva,  399. 
Cephissus,  18,  74. 

Cerameicus,  deme  of,  26-27 ; name  and 
limits  of,  82. 

Chalcidian  chariot,  33,  229,  343,  345- 
346. 

Chalcodon,  122. 

Chal cotheca,  260-261. 

Choma,  389,  391. 

Cicero,  43,  62. 

Cimon,  35-36,  56,  72,  89;  tomb  of,  371. 
Cimonium,  56-57. 


Circles,  The,  149-150. 

Cleisthenes,  28,  33,  272;  tomb  of,  371. 
Cleon,  cross- wall  of,  38. 

Clepsydra,  51. 
climate,  19-21. 

Codrus.  See  Neleum. 

Coele,  dwellings  in,  23-24;  deme  of,  26. 
Colias,  cape,  385-387. 

Colly tus,  deme  of,  27. 

Colonus  Agoraeus,  17,  88;  Hippius,  28, 
379-382. 

Conon,  39,  66,  76;  tomb  of,  371. 
construction,  methods  of,  5-1 1. 

Corallion,  tomb  of,  376. 

Corydallus,  15. 

Cossutius,  architect  of  Olympieum,  163. 
Costobocs,  46. 
courts,  364-365. 
cramps,  styles  of,  10. 

Craterus,  painting  by,  77. 

Cresilas,  sculptor  of  Dieitrephes,  255 ; 
Pericles,  346. 

Critius  and  Nesiotes,  sculptors  of  Epi- 
charinus,  262  ; Tyrannicides,  105— 
107. 

Cronus  and  Rhea,  precinct  of,  162,  167. 
Cyclopean  masonry,  7. 

Cydathenaeum,  deme  of,  27. 

Cylon,  32,  52,  343;  heroum  of,  362. 
See  statues. 

Cynosarges,  25,  171-173. 

Cyriac  of  Ancona,  3. 

Daphnl,  monastery  of,  15. 

Deigma,  396-397- 

Deinomenes,  sculptor  of  Io  and  Callisto, 
308. 

Delphinium,  168-169. 
demes,  26-28. 

Demeter,  sanctuary  of,  174,  386;  Chloe, 
sanctuary  of,  221-222;  Euchloiis, 
hill  of,  382.  See  statues. 

Demetria  and  Pamphila,  tomb  of,  376. 
Demetrius,  sculptor  of  Lysimache,  339. 
Demetrius  of  Phalerum,  41,  180;  Polior- 
cetes,  41 ; Poliorcetes,  heroum  of, 
366. 

Demus  and  the  Graces,  precinct  of,  81. 
Deucalion,  chasm  of,  162. 

Dexileos,  tomb  of,  374-376. 

Diazeugma,  389. 

Dicaearchus,  Pseudo-,  2. 

Diochares  gate,  65,  173. 


INDEX 


407 


Diodes,  44,  21 1. 

Diodorus,  the  Periegete,  2. 

Diogenes,  the  Cynic,  77 ; of  Macedonia, 
41 ; gymnasium  of,  the  Diogeneum, 

158-159- 

Diomean  gate,  65. 

Diomeia,  deme  of,  28,  172. 

Dionysiasts,  sanctuary  belonging  to,  398. 
Dionysium,  in  Limnis,  30,  85-86;  of 
theater,  185,  et  seq. 

Dionysius,  tomb  of,  376. 

Dipylum,  39,  63-64,  76;  cemetery,  372- 
378. 

Disoterium,  399. 
districts  of  Athens,  26. 

Draco,  laws  of,  91. 

Dumb  harbor,  67,  389,  391. 

Earth,  sanctuary  of,  30,  167.  See  Ge. 
Eetioneia,  385,  395  ; towers  on,  70. 
Eileithyia,  sanctuary  of,  159.  See  tem- 
ples. 

Eleusinium,  114-115. 

Elgin,  Lord,  47,  244,  288,  306,  322,  325. 
Emporium,  at  Peiraeus,  395-396. 
Endoeus,  sculptor  of  Athena,  309-310. 
Enneacrunus,  30,  83,  108-110. 
Enneapylum,  51. 
ephebi,  98,  151,  157,  159. 

Epicurus,  gardens  of,  40. 

Epigonus,  sculptor  of  offering  of  Attalus, 

309- 

Eponymi,  25,  33,  41,  98.  See  statues. 
Erechtheum,  26,  38,  311-335;  early, 
335-337- 

Erechtheus,  tomb  of,  355. 

Eretria,  26. 

Eridanus,  18,  65,  366,  372. 

Eros,  altar  of,  366,  369. 

Eubulides,  sculptor  of  Athena,  Zeus, 
Mnemosyne,  Muses,  Apollo,  80. 
Eumenes,  25,  41—42,  213.  See  statues 
and  stoae. 

Euphrancr,  sculptor  of  Apollo  Patrous, 
94  ; paintings  by,  92-94. 

Euripides,  cenotaph  of,  76.  See  statues. 
Eurysaces,  heroum  of,  the  Eurysaceum, 
24,  121-122. 

Euthydicus,  dedicator  of  statue,  339. 

Fig  Tree,  Sacred,  26. 

Frankish  tower,  235. 

Furies,  chasm  of,  360-362,  382. 


Gardens,  The,  25,  170. 
gate  in  Agora,  55,  123,  125;  gates  in 
Themistoclean  wall,  63-66;  at 
Peiraeus,  69-71. 
gatekeepers  of  Acropolis,  237. 

Ge,  Carpophorus,  267-269 ; Curotro- 
phus,  sanctuary  of,  221-222.  See 
statues. 

geological  formation,  16-18. 

Germanicus,  239. 
gilded  altar,  94. 

Giraud,  3. 

Good  Fortune,  sanctuary  of,  401.  See 
statues. 

Guillet,  3. 

Hadrian,  44,  177;  Arch  of,  55,  167-168; 
buildings  of,  45,  148-149 ; recon- 
struction of  theater  in  time  of,  199. 
See  statues  and  stoae. 
headers  and  stretchers,  9. 

Hebe,  altar  of,  171. 
hecateum,  23. 

Hecatompedum,  33,  35,  313-314. 

Hegeso,  tomb  of,  376. 

Heliodorus,  2. 

Hephaesteum,  38,  89,  116-121. 

Heracles,  altars  of,  171,  367,  369;  sanc- 
tuary of,  369. 

Heracleum,  86. 

Hermes,  gymnasium  of,  79;  altars  of, 
367,  369.  See  statues, 
herms,  23,  124,  150.  See  statues  and 
stoae. 

Herodes  Atticus,  45,  175,  177. 
heroes,  altar  of,  386. 

Heruli,  46. 

Hesychus,  shrine  of,  362. 
hills  of  Athens,  16. 

Hippodamus,  21,  35,  36,  395. 

Hippolytus,  memorial  to,  220-221. 
history  of  Athens,  29-47. 

Horologium.  See  Tower  of  the  Winds, 
houses,  private,  22-24,  4°>  79?  in  Pei- 
raeus,  400. 

Hunger  plain,  26,  158. 

Hygieia,  401.  See  statues. 

Hymettus,  14-15,  387. 

Ictinus,  architect  of  the  Parthenon, 
270. 

Ilissus,  18,  173. 

Iobacchi,  clubhouse  of,  86. 


408 


INDEX 


Isocrates,  family  tomb  of,  172  ; portrait 
of,  77.  See  statues. 

Itonian  gate,  65,  76. 

Julian,  45. 

Justinian,  46. 

Kara  limestone,  6. 

Kraus,  M.,  3. 

Lachares,  41. 

Laciadae,  deme  of,  28. 
lamp  in  the  Erechtheum,  319. 

Leake,  W.  M.,  5. 

Lenormant,  C.,  grave  of,  379. 

Leochares,  sculptor  of  Apollo,  94;  Zeus, 
270;  Zeus  and  Demus,  397. 
Leocorium,  128. 

Library  of  Hadrian,  144-148. 
lighting  of  Olympieum,  165  ; of  Parthe- 
non, 281. 

lightnings  on  Parnes,  13,  61,  364. 
Limnae,  26,  86. 

Locrus,  sculptor  of  Athena,  103. 
Lycabettus,  15. 

Lyceum,  25,  36,  39,  173. 

Lycius,  sculptor  of  boy,  252,  257  ; horse- 
men, 238-239. 

Lycurgus,  39-40,  175,  192-198;  tomb  of, 
371.  See  statues. 

Ly  si  crates,  monument  of,  180-182. 
Lysippus,  sculptor  of  Socrates,  77. 
Lyson,  sculptor  of  Demus,  95. 

marble,  kinds  of,  in  use,  6-7. 

Mardonius,  75. 
market,  82,  139,  149-150. 

Market  of  Caesar  and  Augustus,  25,  136- 
140. 

Mars’  hill,  357. 
masonry,  kinds  of,  7-8. 

Melite,  deme  ot,  26. 

Menander,  tomb  of,  76. 
meteorological  conditions,  19-21. 
Metroum,  24,  94-97. 

Micon,  paintings  by,  127,  15 2- 153. 
Middle  ages,  Athens  in,  46-47,  350,  356. 
Mnesicles,  architect  of  Propylaea,  229, 

231,  235- 

Morosini,  Acropolis  bombarded  by,  288, 
304- 

mortar,  use  of,  10. 

mud  hut  on  Areopagus,  360. 


Muller,  K.  O.,  grave  of,  379. 

Mummius,  42. 

Munychia,  hill  of,  32,  383,  385 ; harbor 
of,  67,  387-388. 

Muses,  altars  of,  174,  367,  369;  hill  of 
the,  17. 

Myron,  sculptor  of  Athena  and  Marsyas, 
263-264;  Perseus,  252,  257. 

Mys,  343. 

Namesake  heroes.  See  statues. 

Naucydes,  statue  by,  265. 

Neleum,  169-170. 

Nerio  Acciajuoli,  49. 

Nero,  44,  198,  302-303. 

Nesiotes.  See  Critius  and  Nesiotes. 

New  Athens,  26. 

Niccolo  da  Martoni,  3. 

Nicias,  monument  of,  213-216. 

Nicomachus,  sculptor  of  Sye  — , 339. 

Nointel,  Marquis  de,  3-4,  284. 

Nymphs,  hill  of  the,  17. 

Odeum,  of  Agrippa,  107 ; of  Herodes 
Atticus,  25,  216-220;  of  Pericles, 
25,  36,  200-201. 

Oedipus,  altar  of,  362 ; death  of,  382 ; 
tomb  of,  362  ; and  Adrastus,  heroum 
of,  379- 

Oedipus  at  Colonus,  of  Sophocles,  scene 
of,  380-382. 

Olbiades,  painting  by,  95. 

olive  tree,  sacred,  332,  335,  337 ; scion 
of,  367. 

Olympieum,  25,  30,  32,  33,  44,  61,  161- 
166,  364. 

Omar,  47. 

Orchestra,  25,  105. 

orders  of  architecture,  10. 

orthostatae,  9. 

Otho  de  la  Roche,  40. 

Painted  Porch.  See  stoae. 

painters.  See  Arcesilaus,  Aristophon, 
Craterus,  Euphranor,  Micon,  Ol- 
biades, Panaenus,  Parrhasius,  Poly- 
gnotus,  Protogenes. 

paintings  in  Anaceum,  1 53-155;  in 
Buleuterium,  95 ; in  Dionysium, 
185-186,  190;  in  Erechtheum,  317, 
33i“332  ; in  house  of  Alcibiades,  23  ; 
in  Painted  Porch,  123-124,  126-127; 
in  Parthenon,  297,  307 ; in  Pom- 


INDEX 


409 


peum,  77 ; in  Propylaea,  247-248 ; 
in  Stoa  of  Zeus,  92-93  ; in  Theseum, 
152-153  ; in  Peiraeus,  399. 

palace,  prehistoric,  on  Acropolis,  29, 
312. 

Pan,  cave  of,  352-354;  shrine  of,  on  the 
Ilissus,  178-179. 

Panaenus,  paintings  by,  127. 

Panathenaic  procession,  293,  362  ; road, 
22,  83,  96;  ship,  295,  362-364. 

Pandroseum,  332,  334~335- 

Pandrosus,  155.  See  temples. 

Parnes,  13. 

Parrhasius,  design  by,  343. 

Parthenon,  early,  34,  271-274;  of  Peri- 
cles, 26,  37,  270-307 ; explosion  in, 
4,  304;  sculptures  of,  283-302;  as 
Christian  church,  46,  303-304. 

Paul,  Saint,  in  Athens,  360. 

Pausanias,  2-3,  75,  and  passim. 

Peiraeus,  383-402  ; walls  of,  66-67. 

Peiraic  gate,  64,  76. 

Peirithoiis  and  Theseus,  heroum  of,  379 ; 
compact  of,  159. 

Peisias,  sculptor  of  Apollo,  95. 

Peisistratus  and  his  sons,  32-33,  66,  152, 
168. 

Pelargicum,  32,  35,  48-52. 

Pentelicus,  13-14. 

Perdix,  sanctuary  of,  206. 

Pericles,  36,  72,  224,  256,  275,  395; 
tomb  of,  370.  See  statues. 

Peripatetics,  173. 

Persians,  destroy  Athens,  34,  157. 

Phaedrus,  stage  of,  45,  199-200. 

Phaleric  harbor,  352,  385-387  ; wall,  72- 
73- 

Phalerum,  72-73,  386-387. 

Phalerus,  altar  of,  386. 

Pheidias,  sculptor  of  Apollo  Parnopius, 
307 ; Athena  Lemnia,  346-348 ; 
Athena  Parthenos,  of  gold  and 
ivory,  37,  271,  295-302;  Athena 
Promachus,  343-344 ; Mother  of 
the  Gods,  94,  97 ; in  charge  of  the 
Parthenon,  270. 

Pherephattium,  128. 

Philip  V,  42,  64. 

Philippides,  or  Pheidippides,  353-354. 

Philopappus,  monument  of,  17,  44. 

Pinacotheca,  234-235,  247-248. 

Pity,  Modesty,  Rumor,  Impulse,  altars 
of,  127, 


Plato,  in  the  Academy,  367 ; tomb  of, 
369 ; friend  of  Timon,  370. 

Plutoneum,  382. 

Pnyx,  17,  27,  110-113. 

Polemo,  of  Ilium,  1-2,  248 ; the  sophist, 
163. 

Poleterium,  129. 

police  barracks,  360. 

Polyandrion,  370,  376. 

polychromy  on  the  Parthenon,  302. 

Polyeuctus,  sculptor  of  Demosthenes, 
101. 

Polygnotus,  paintings  by,  123-12 7,  153- 
155,  247-248. 

Pompeum,  76-77. 

Pompey,  43. 

population  of  Athens,  21. 

poros,  or  Peiraic  limestone,  6. 

Poseidon-Erechtheus,  Butes,  Hephaestus, 
altars  of,  317,  331. 

Poseidon  Hippius  and  Athena  Hippia, 
altar  of,  379,  382. 

Praxiteles,  sculptor  of  Artemis  Brau- 
ronia,  259;  Demeter,  Persephone, 
and  Iacchus,  77-78 ; Dionysus  and 
Satyr,  185;  knight,  76;  Satyr,  180, 
182-183. 

Praxiteles,  elder,  78. 

Praxiteles,  sons  of,  sculptors  of  Enyo, 
103-104. 

prison,  128-129;  of  Socrates,  so-called, 
23-24. 

Prometheus,  altar  of,  366,  369;  and 
Hephaestus,  altar  of,  382. 

Propylaea,  25,  37,  229-236,  246-248. 

Propylum,  early,  of  Acropolis,  33,  35, 
226-229. 

Protogenes,  painting  by,  95. 

Prytaneum,  25,  157-158. 

Ptolemaeum,  25,  150-151. 

Ptolemies.  See  statues. 

Ptolemy  Philadelphus,  41,  159.  See 
statues. 

Pulytion,  house  of,  79. 

Pyrrhus,  sculptor  of  Athena  Hygieia, 
252-256. 

Pythagoras  of  Selymbria,  tomb  of,  374. 

Pythium,  30,  61,  168,  363-364. 

refinements,  architectural,  282-283. 

Regilla,  2,  45,  216. 

rivers  of  Athens,  18. 

Rome,  worshiped,  81.  See  temples. 


4io 


INDEX 


Sacred  gate,  64,  372. 

schools  of  archaeology  in  Athens,  5. 

Sciron,  district,  26;  and  Cycloborus, 
streams,  18. 

Scopas,  sculptor  of  Furies,  362. 

sculptors.  See  Agoracritus,  Alcamenes, 
Antenor,  Aristocles,  Bryaxis,  Cala- 
mis,  Cephisodotus,  Critius  and 
Nesiotes,  Deinomenes,  Demetrius, 
Endoeus,  Epigonus,  Eubulides,  Eu- 
phranor,  Leochares,  Locrus,  Lycius, 
Lysippus,  Lyson,  Myron,  Naucydes, 
Nicomachus,  Peisias,  Pheidias, 
Praxiteles,  sons  of  Praxiteles, 
Polyeuctus,  Pyrrhus,  Scopas,  Soc- 
rates, Strongylion,  Thymilus. 

Serangeum,  401. 

Serapeum,  159. 

shipsheds,  37,  39,  43,  391-393- 

‘Sixty,  The,  17 1. 

Socrates,  91,  97,  98,  171 ; prison  of,  so- 
called,  23-24;  sculptor  of  Graces, 
248-252. 

soil  and  vegetation,  19. 

Solon,  32 ; laws  of,  outside  of  Buleute- 
rium,  97 ; in  Royal  Stoa,  91 ; in 
Prytaneum,  157-158. 

sources  of  information,  1-5. 

Spon  and  Wheler,  4. 

Stadium,  25,  39,  174-178. 

Stalida,  island  of,  388. 

statues  (for  sculptural  decoration  of 
temples,  see  temples) : 

Aeschylus,  200. 

Alexander,  107. 

Amphiaraus,  98-99. 

Amphictyon,  81. 

Anacreon,  307-308. 

Antiope,  76. 

Antony  and  Cleopatra,  43. 

Aphrodite,  103,  252-255  ; Colian,  387  ; 
in  the  Gardens,  170-171;  Pande- 
mus  and  Peitho,  221 ; Urania,  122. 

Apollo,  80,  95,  103 ; Alexicacus,  94 ; 
Musegetes,  79 ; Parnopius,  307  ; 
Patroiis,  94;  Pythian,  168;  of  the 
Streets,  23. 

archaic  figures,  339-340. 

Ares.  103. 

Artemis,  Agrotera,  174;  Aricte,  366; 
Brauronia,  258-259;  Calliste,  366; 
Leucophryene,  309. 

Astydamas,  200. 


statues  — continued. 

Athena,  103,  309-310;  birth  of,  265; 
Bulaea,  97;  Hephaestia,  116,  121; 
Hygieia,  252-257;  Lemnia,  346- 
348;  Paeonia,  80;  Parthenos,  295- 
302;  andMarsyas,  263-264;  Polias, 
319-320,  332;  Promachus,  35,  343- 
345 ; and  Poseidon,  269 ; Victory, 
245- 

Autolycus,  157-158. 
bear,  260. 
boar  hunt,  342. 

boy  holding  lustral  basin,  252,  257. 
Brutus  and  Cassius,  43. 
bull,  1 14. 

bull  on  the  Acropolis,  265-266. 
Calades,  103-104. 

Callias,  99,  101. 

Chrysippus,  150. 

Cleoetas,  267. 

Colonies,  166. 

Conon  and  Timotheus,  91-92,  269. 
Cylon,  342-343. 

Demeter,  77. 

Demetrius  of  Phalerum,  41. 
Demochares,  158. 

Demosthenes,  99,  101-104. 

Demus,  95. 

Dieitrephes,  252-255. 

Dionysus,  107,  185-190;  Melpomenus, 
79;  and  Satyr,  185. 

Dromus,  on  the,  79. 

Eirene,  157;  and  Plutus,  98-101. 
Enyo,  1 03- 1 04. 

Epicharinus,  262. 

Epimenides,  114. 

Eponymi,  or  Namesake  heroes,  95,  98- 
99.  - 

Erechtheus  and  Eumolpus,  342. 

Eros,  185. 

Eumenes  and  Attalus,  42. 

Euripides,  200. 

Evagoras,  91. 

Furies,  361-362. 

Ge,  361 ; Carpophorus,  267-269. 
Good  Fortune,  158. 

Hadrian,  91,  116,  162,  166,  307. 
Hephaestus,  116,  121. 

Heracles,  103,  265. 

Hermes,  319,  361 ; Agoraeus,  1 23-1 25 ; 

Propylaeus,  248-252. 

Hermolycus,  262-263. 

Hestia,  157. 


INDEX 


411 


statues  — continued. 

horse,  Wooden,  261-262. 
horsemen,  238-239. 

Hygieia,  252-255. 

Hyrcanus,  81. 

Iacchus,  77-78. 

Iliad  and  Odyssey,  146. 

Io  and  Callisto,  308. 

Iphi crates,  307. 

Isocrates,  162,  166,  338;  mother  of, 
255. 

Juba,  150. 

Julia,  137. 

Leaena,  33,  252-253. 

Leocrates,  father  of,  399. 

Li  via,  255. 

Lucius  Caesar,  137. 

Lycurgus,  99,  10 1. 
magician,  96. 

Medusa,  head  of,  201. 

Menander,  200. 

Miltiades,  157,  200. 

Minotaur,  264. 

Mnemosyne,  80. 

Oenobius,  262-263. 
offering  of  Attalus,  308-309. 
Olympiodorus,  309. 

Pegasus,  81. 

Pericles,  307,  346. 

Persephone,  77. 

Perseus,  252,  257. 

Persians,  162. 

Philemon,  200. 

Philip,  107. 

Phormio,  262-263. 

Phrixus,  265. 

Pindar,  103-105. 

Pluto,  361. 

Poseidon  and  Poly  botes,  78. 

Procne  and  Itys,  269. 

Ptolemies,  107. 

Ptolemy  Philadelphus,  15 1. 

Roman  emperor,  92. 

Seleucus,  124. 

Solon,  124. 

Sophocles,  200. 

Sosandra,  254-255. 

Spoudaeon,  266. 

Sye  — 338. 

Themistocles,  157,  200. 

Theseus,  103-104;  and  Marathonian 
bull,  342. 

Triptolemus,  114. 


statues  — continued. 

Tyrannicides,  25,  33-35,  95,  105-107. 
Xanthippus,  307. 

Zeus,  80,  270 ; Bulaeus,  95-97 ; and 
Demus,  397  ; Eleutherius,  91 ; Olym- 
pian, 1 61,  166;  Polieus,  270;  Savior 
and  Athena  Savior,  399. 
statues  in  Olympieum,  161-162. 
stoae : 

of  Attalus,  1 30-1 34. 
of  Eumenes,  21 2-213. 
of  the  Giants,  125,  134-136. 
of  Hadrian,  25.  See  Library  of 
Hadrian. 

Poecile,  or  Painted  Porch,  25,  123- 
127. 

Roman,  184. 

Royal,  24,  35,  89-91. 
of  Peiraeus,  396,  399. 
of  the  theater,  187,  198. 
of  Zeus  of  Freedom,  24,  35,  91-93. 
on  Dromus,  79-81. 

Stoics,  126. 

stone,  seat  of  Silenus,  252,  257. 
strange  gods  at  Peiraeus,  399. 
Strategium,  129. 
streets,  21-23. 

Strongylion,  sculptor  of  Wooden  Horse, 
261. 

Stuart  and  Revett,  4,  178,  183,  202,  291. 
Sulla,  42-43,  92,  163,  173,  201,  367. 
sundial,  204. 

Talos.  See  Calos. 

Taureas,  palaestra  of,  170. 

Telemachus,  founder  of  Asclepieum,  38, 
206. 

temperature  of  Athens,  20. 
temples  of  (see  also  under  individual 
names) : 

Aphrodite  Pandemus,  221-222. 

Apollo  Patroiis,  24,  35,  94. 

Ares,  25,  103. 

Artemis  Agrotera,  174. 

Asclepius,  2 10-21 1. 

Athena  and  Erechtheus,  the  Erech- 
theum,  3H-337- 
Athena  Ergane,  266-267. 

Athena  Parthenos,  the  Parthenon, 
270-307. 

Athena  Sciradia,  386. 

Athena  Victory,  or  Wingless  Victory, 
25,  37,  47,  239-246. 


412 


INDEX 


temples  — continued. 

Demeter  and  Cora,  113-114. 

Dionysus,  38,  86,  185-190,  366. 
Eileithyia,  174. 

Eucleia,  115-116. 

Fortune,  178. 

Hephaestus,  the  Hephaesteum,  24, 
116-121. 

Hera,  75. 

Mother  of  the  Gods,  97. 

Pandrosus,  334“335- 
Poseidon,  379,  382. 

Rome  and  Augustus,  310-31 1. 

Themis,  220-221. 

Triptolemus,  114-115. 

Zeus,  Olympian,  the  Olympieum,  24, 
116-121. 

the  Ancient  Temple,  320. 
the  Old  Temple,  31 2-317. 
on  the  Ilissus,  178. 

theater,  Dionysiac,  25,  39,  185,  190-200; 
at  Peiraeus,  older,  400 ; at  Peiraeus, 
younger,  400. 

Themistocles,  34-35,  58,  66,  397 ; tomb 
of,  402.  See  statues. 

Theodosius  I,  46 ; II,  ibid. 

Thersander  and  Simylus,  tomb  of,  374. 
Theseum,  so-called.  See  Hephaesteum. 
Theseum,  25,  151-153. 

Theseus,  city  before,  30-31;  altar  of 
sons  of,  386. 

Thesmothesium,  129. 

Thesmothetae,  painting  of,  95. 

Tholus,  24,  33,  94-98. 

Thrasyllus,  monument  of,  201-204. 
Thyechoos,  altar  of,  330. 

Thymilus,  sculptor  of  Eros  and  Dionysus, 
185. 

Timon,  tower  of,  369. 

tombs,  of  various  Athenians,  370-371. 

torch-races,  366-367. 

Tower  of  the  Winds,  25,  141-144. 


Toxaris,  heroum  of,  366. 

Transfeldt,  4. 

treasures  in  the  Erechtheum,  31^-320, 
323-324;  in  the  Parthenon,  306- 
307. 

trident-mark,  319,  329-330. 

tripod  of  Aschraeus,  204;  of  Andocides, 
ibid. 

Tripods,  street  of,  21-22,  25,  180. 

Turks  in  Athens,  47,  119,  165,  246,  304, 
327- 

Twelve  Gods,  altar  of,  32-33. 

Tyrannicides,  52 ; tomb  of,  370.  See 
statues. 

Unknown  Gods,  altar  of,  386. 

Valerian  wall,  74,  132. 

walls  of  the  Acropolis,  48-52,  56-58; 
of  Cleon,  38,  63;  circular,  52-55; 
of  Hadrian,  74;  Long,  36,  72-74; 
of  Peiraeus,  66-71 ; of  Themistocles, 
58-66,  68;  Valerian,  so-called,  74, 
132. 

well  in  the  Erechtheum,  318. 

winds,  20-21,  143-144. 

workshops  of  builders  of  the  Parthenon, 
274,  311. 

Xerxes,  in  Athens,  34,  56. 

Zea  harbor,  67,  387-388. 

Zeno,  126. 

Zeus,  altar  of,  386;  Herceius,  altar  of, 
33  2,  335 ; Hermes  and  Acamas, 
altar  of,  63 ; Meilichius,  altar  of, 
401 ; Morieus,  altar  of,  369 ; Most 
High,  altar  of,  317;  sanctuary  of, 
1 13;  Philius,  sanctuary  of,  401; 
Savior  and  Athena  Savior,  399. 
See  statues  and  temples. 


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Political,  social  and  religious  facts  are  coordinated  with  the  history 
of  art,  so  as  to  form  a single  picture.  The  volume  is  pronounced 
“a  credit  to  American  scholarship.” 

Cloth , $2.23  net ; postpaid, , $2.43 

Monuments  of  the  Early  Church 

By  WALTER  LOWRIE,  M.A.,  Late  Fellow  of  the  American 
School  of  Classical  Studies  in  Rome,  Rector  of  St.  Paul’s 
Church,  Rome. 

Nearly  two  hundred  photographs  and  drawings  of  the  most  repre- 
sentative monumental  remains  of  Christian  antiquity,  accompanied 
by  detailed  expositions,  make  this  volume  replete  with  interest  for 
the  general  reader  and  at  the  same  time  useful  as  a handbook  for 
the  student  of  Christian  archaeology  in  all  its  branches. 

Cloth , $1.23  net ; postpaid, \ $1.39 


THE  MACMILLAN  COMPANY 

Publishers  64-66  Fifth  Avenue  New  York 


A New  Volume  by  Professor  Gardner 


The  Principles  of  Greek  Art 


By  PERCY  GARDNER,  Litt.D. 

Lincoln  and  Merton  Professor  of  Classical  Archaeology  in  the 
University  of  Oxford 


Illustrated , cloth , i2mo 


This  book  is  a reworking  on  a larger  scale  of  the 
author’s  “ Grammar  of  Greek  Art.”  It  is  an  attempt 
to  make  clear  the  artistic  and  psychological  principles 
incorporated  in  Greek  Art,  especially  in  sculpture, 
which  is  treated  as  a characteristic  product  of  the 
Greek  spirit,  a parallel  to  Greek  literature  and  reli- 
gion. Professor  Gardner  writes  as  one  who  feels 
keenly  the  debt  which  modern  civilization  owes  to 
Greece  and  who  realizes  the  great  danger  of  a lapse 
to  a lower  plane  of  civilization  if  Greek  studies  fall 
out  of  the  educational  curriculum.  The  work  not 
only  sets  forth  the  principles  but  contains  chapters 
dealing  with  ail  the  more  important  phases  and  prod- 
ucts of  Greek  art,  made  clearer  by  the  use  of  more 
than  one  hundred  carefully  chosen  illustrations.  While 
there  are  many  handbooks  to  Greek  archaeology  none 
of  them  are  written  along  these  lines. 


THE  MACMILLAN  COMPANY 

Publishers  64-66  Fifth  Avenue  New  York 


85 


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